Peirce’s Woods: An Evolving Beauty

Peirce’s Woods designer Gary Smith’s Concept Design, 1994

Gardens are always changing. While the Mona Lisa hangs in the Louvre looking much as it did 500 years ago, every year, every season, and even every hour you are in a garden it is constantly in flux.

As a gardener you can either try to fight this change or work with it. In the 10 years I have been working in Peirce’s Woods I have done both. I have fought the loss of canopy by replanting young replacement trees, pruned back shrubs to prevent them from becoming too overgrown, and battled encroaching invasive weed species. At the same time I have worked with changing light levels, poor drainage, and disease pressures by modifying the shape of sweeps, and adjusting the plant palette with a “right plant-right place” philosophy.

Transporting and planting a yellow cucumber magnolia (Magnolia acuminata var. subcordata ‘Peirce’s Park’), April 2013

Transporting and planting a yellow cucumber magnolia (Magnolia acuminata var. subcordata ‘Peirce’s Park’), April 2013

In some areas, such as Cathedral Clearing—the main entrance to Peirce’s Woods off the Flower Garden Walk—losses of large, over-mature trees from the canopy have reduced some of our spring shade-loving ephemerals, and opened up opportunities to expand the original woodland plant palate to incorporate more sun-loving native species while we re-establish the canopy. In other areas, such as Carpinus Walk, which borders the Large Lake, small trees that were planted during the late 1990s are now shading out their shrub and ground cover companions. Many azaleas in this area have become too shaded to bloom, so I have been working to transplant them to areas with more favorable light conditions.

Overall, the shrub layer and small flowering trees in Peirce’s Woods have become very well established, and their presence helps define “room” spaces within the design.

One area that has undergone a lot of change during the last five years is the South Wood’s Edge, which was designed to have strong fall and winter interest. In 2009 the grove of severely declining hemlock trees that dominated the entrance had to be removed. This in turn required a change in the understory of shade-loving shrubs and ground covers. We established large sweeps of brilliant yellow goldenrod (Solidago sphacelata ‘Golden Fleece’) and purple aromatic asters (Symphyotrichum oblongifolium ‘October Skies’), which make way for golden-twig dogwood (Cornus sericea ‘Flaviramea’)  and red fruited winterberry hollies (Ilex verticillata ‘Winter Red’). This change has been very successful in creating an inviting and thriving entrance way.

South Wood’s Edge declining hemlock removal, 2009

South Wood’s Edge flowering goldenrod (Solidago sphacelata ‘Golden Fleece’) and aromatic asters (Symphyotrichum oblongifolium ‘October Skies’), fall 2012

South Wood’s Edge flowering goldenrod (Solidago sphacelata ‘Golden Fleece’) and aromatic asters (Symphyotrichum oblongifolium ‘October Skies’), fall 2012

One area that continues to get better every year is the Silverbell Tunnel in the area known as the Shady Retreat. The path in this area is lined with silverbell (Halesia) trees, which are being trained to arch over the walkway and form a tunnel, which is beautiful to walk beneath in the spring when they are all in full bloom, usually in mid-May.

Shady Retreat, entrance to Silverbell Tunnel

Go Beyond this Saturday, May 4! Join me at 11:00 am, 12:30 pm, and 2:00 pm as I take you on a journey through the history, design, and management of Peirce’s Woods during our Beyond the Garden Gates Day.

Step into Peirce’s Woods through this video that shows Longwood coming to life in the spring:

And don’t miss peak bloom in Peirce’s Woods—happening now! This upcoming weekend is the perfect time to visit.

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100 Flowers: 1 Plant

© Bunkyo Museum, Tokyo, Japan
Artist: Kuniyoshi Utagawa
Hyakushu-tsugiwake-giku (hundreds varieties grafted chrysanthemum)

One hundred different chrysanthemum flowers grafted onto one plant? What an extraordinary thought! Our mum team would love to take credit for this great idea; however, this horticulture art form has surprisingly been around for hundreds of years in China and Japan. Today you can find it on display in only two places worldwide, and Longwood Gardens is proud to be one of them.

Five years ago, my friend showed me a note card with a picture of a multi-flowered chrysanthemum. It was an old Japanese wood block print, or Ukiyoe, made in the 18th century (Edo period). He asked, “Can you make this?” I had no idea how it was made. Throughout 2008 and 2009 I visited Japan to learn how to graft mums from Mr. Hiroshi Saito, and how to recreate the traditional 100 cultivar bloom from Mr. Akiyoshi Oshiro. Mr. Oshiro was the first to recreate this 18th century chrysanthemum art at the Hamamatsu Flower Park in Japan. He generously shared his special skill with me, which I brought back to Longwood Gardens.

Mr. Oshiro’s 100 cultivar grafted mum (Hyakushu-tsugiwake-giku) at the Hamamatsu Flower Park

In 2009 we made our first attempt at a 100 cultivar mum. It had only 36 different flowers.  Someone mentioned that it was so ugly, so we practiced our skill, and by 2010 we successfully displayed 96 flowers. In 2011 we reached our 100 cultivar goal.

The mum starts off as a small cutting in October—an entire year before it goes on display. We grow, train, and pinch it the same as we would a small 1,000 bloom mum.  By June, the single plant has almost 200 stems and is ready to graft. The mum gets divided into four sections, each section receiving around the same number of stems. Mum varieties used for grafting are selected by their bloom time, color, flower shape, and size. Some of the mum varieties are from Longwood’s own stock, but other varieties are bought from domestic suppliers as small cuttings and grown specifically for this project. Unfortunately, in the United States we do not have as many varieties to choose from as in China or Japan, and we are unable to import any new varieties.

The 100 cultivar mum in June, when it’s ready to graft

A cutting labeled with its name, color, and flower type

The grafted mum is kept under shade and misted to insure the grafts do not dry out

After about 2 weeks, the grafts have taken and the mum starts to grow

We start grafting the first week of July, approximately 25 to 30 stems a day. To learn about this technique, read our blog or watch our video.  After each cutting is grafted on to a stem, it gets a label with its name, color, and flower type. Once grafting has started, the mum is kept under shade and is misted to insure the grafts do not dry out. In about two weeks the grafts will have taken to the base mum and should start to grow. During the summer, we remove the side shoots and keep the stems tied down so that the flowers are easier to arrange in the final form.

In September, we disbud each stem so that a single large flower for each variety remains. In October, we start framing for the final shape. Longwood’s framing is a modified version of the traditional Japanese style—ours looks more like a wedding cake. Each flower gets a rindai (white ring) placed underneath to support the flower so that it stays in good condition. The final decorated mum is positioned on a turn table so visitors can view all of the different chrysanthemum varieties.

In 2012, our mum has a total of 113 varieties and 146 flowers. You can find it in the East Conservatory. We hope you enjoy our rendition of this 18th century Japanese chrysanthemum art!

Final framing begins with a large mass of tangled mum stems and ends with a wedding cake of beautiful individually placed flowers

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Our American Elm: A Survivor’s Story

The American elm on the Cow Lot at Longwood Gardens, 1997 (photo: L. Albee)

The American elm was once a staple on the streets of America. Valued for its shade, beautiful branch structure, and its tough-as-nails reputation for growing just about anywhere it was planted, you could find this native tree ranging from Florida to some parts of southern Canada, and spreading as far west as North Dakota and Texas.

Municipalities thought they had found the perfect street tree until Dutch elm disease was introduced in the 1930’s—allegedly from elm wood that was shipped from overseas. The disease spread throughout the country, destroying the beauty of urban streets that were once lined with American elms. Today, small groups of elm trees can still be found in the woods or on the side of the road, but it is rare to find large specimens along streets or in landscapes.

The American elm on the Cow Lot at Longwood Gardens is the only straight species of American elm remaining in the Gardens. We believe the tree was planted in the early 1930’s as a mature specimen by Lewis and Valentine Company, from the James Duke estate in Somerville, New Jersey. Standing just outside the Visitor Center, this tree provides a majestic welcome to our guests, and gives everyone a taste of what’s to come as they begin their way through the Gardens.

A view of two American elms outside the Visitor Center, 1967

The walkway to the West as you exit the Visitor Center was once planted with elms on each side, creating a beautiful allee. Originally there were twelve trees lining the walkway, and all but one succumbed to Dutch elm disease (and possibly Elm Yellows). In an article written in 1986 for Longwood’s staff magazine, the author states, “The remaining elm is the sole example of its kind left on Longwood property and it remains a magnificent specimen, though its prospects’ for the future are doubtful.” With a future that was once unsure, the tree still stands twenty-three years later.

At the base of the tree you can see a large wound from a branch that tore down the trunk during a summer storm in 1998. Since then, the arborists take care to prune the tree almost every year to help reduce weight on the larger branches. We prune in the winter months to avoid when the elm bark beetles are active. The Integrated Pest Management crew here at Longwood Gardens takes preventative measures by doing soil injections every other year for elm scale and leaf hoppers, and monitoring for signs of Dutch elm disease.

Dutch elm disease is a fungus that gums up the xylem cells, blocking the upward movement of water and nutrients into infected tree branches. Since the water and nutrients are essentially turned off, the leaves start to wilt and the branch eventually dies. Over time the entire tree will die if it’s not treated. The carrier of the disease is the European and native elm bark beetle. Humans can also spread the disease by transporting infected wood to different areas for logging or firewood.

The next time you visit the Gardens, I hope you take a moment to stop and stand in the shade of this elegant and beautiful tree.

The remaining American elm at Longwood Gardens, 2012 (photo: L. Albee)

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The Art of Grafting Chrysanthemums

Tri-colored dome chrysanthemum on display at Longwood Gardens, 2009 (photo: L. Albee)

Ever wonder what is going on in the greenhouses at this time of the year? While you are enjoying the beautiful summer display, Longwood’s growers are already getting ready for fall! One of our biggest projects at this time of year is to complete the grafting process that allows us to grow the large specialty chrysanthemums that will be on display during our Chrysanthemum Festival.

Grafting chrysanthemums is not a common subject you learn in school. We were taught this special technique from Chinese and Japanese specialty chrysanthemum growers, and use it to make eye-catching specialty mum forms for our display. Grafting mums is very common in China and has a long history, but there are no written records of when it started. In Japan, the first record is found on an 18th century Ukiyoe, a wooden block printing. We began practicing this new technique a couple of years ago and are continually learning and experimenting to create new forms.

During last year’s display, we had many different forms, including the tri-colored dome, 100-cultivar, pagoda, tri-colored shield, and pom-pom. We first trialed the tri-colored dome in 2008. You might remember the first one was not perfect, but with practice we are getting better. We saw our first pagoda shape in 1995 when somebody brought us a picture. We had no idea how to make it until we saw a Chinese display in 2010. We had tried various, small experiments but were unable to finish until we learned hands-on, and last year’s pagoda was our first on display.

100-cultivar chrysanthemum, 2011 (photo: L. Albee)

Pagoda chrysanthemum, 2011

Tri-colored shield chrysanthemum, 2011

Pom-pom chrysanthemum, 2011

We graft our chrysanthemums on two different stocks—either on chrysanthemum stock or Artemisia (Artemisia annua) stock. You may be familiar with Artemisia annua, commonly known as sweet Annie or annual wormwood. We use the Artemisia to get the benefit of its strong root system for summer heat, disease and insect resistance. It also has many side shoots that grow close together on the stem and a tall growth habit.

Artemesia with grafted mum tips

The grafting style we use is called “cleft style.” As you see in this video, we slice the stock stem down the center and insert the tapered grafting tip into the slit. Then we carefully wrap it with Parafilm, which is commonly used in laboratories. It holds the grafted tip tightly in place, seals the cutting area and helps the cut surfaces not to dry out. In two weeks, the tip tissue connects to the stock and it starts growing. The key to successful grafting is for the stock stem to be young and fresh (the inside green with no pith). Sometimes the Artemisia stem accepts the graft with some pith inside, but it’s difficult to get good results. Matching the stem thickness between stock stem and grafting tip is also important to connect the vascular systems together.

In hot and dry conditions, the grafted plants are kept under shade cloth and misted as needed. Sometimes, we use small plastic bags to keep the grafts moist. In this year’s wet and cloudy conditions, grafting is going well without misting or using the plastic bags, but it depends on the day.

A pagoda form with the grafts protected by plastic bags

Creating our specialty mum forms is a year-long process. For example, to make the pagoda form, we start Artemisia seeds in fall and grow in cool conditions. Then we graft the chrysanthemum tips in May and June, once the Artemisia stems get thick enough to match to the chrysanthemum shoot. As the Artemisia stems grow thicker, we will graft several chrysanthemum stems, according to thickness, at a time. We pinch the tips to promote more stems until the middle of July, and disbud to one flower in September. Just before flowering, we arrange the flowers to make the roof shape, using twist ties and bamboo.

Soon we will begin grafting the 100-cultivar chrysanthemum for this year’s display. Stay tuned to our blog for more on that later this summer!

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Top 10 Plants for Night Gardens

When you hear the word “garden,” chances are you think of green plants and brightly colored flowers blooming under a bright sun. But did you know that there’s such a thing as a night garden, too—a garden is designed to thrill the senses when the sun has gone down, the air is cool and the bustle of the day has diminished?

Although our ability to see is limited during the night, plants with pale white or yellow blooms and silver foliage can reflect the moonlight in a way that dramatically transforms the landscape. Darkness serves to heighten our other senses in the moonlit garden: nocturnal blooms beckon with their heady fragrances and leaves rustle in the air, lending more enjoyment to the mysteries of night.

Create your own moonlit garden at home with the following plants:

Nicotiana sylvestris

Nicotiana sylvestris (flowering tobacco)

• A vivacious annual, this plant will grow up to 5’ tall in a season!
• Long, pendulous, trumpet-shaped flowers open in the evening and release a sweet fragrance
• Useful in the back of border or near the home where one can enjoy its fragrant blooms

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Nassella tenuissima (photo by Beverly Fitts)

Nassella tenuissima (white tussock)

• A delicate, fine-textured ornamental grass
• Silky, threadlike leaves and flower tufts shimmer silver in the moonlight

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Salvia argentea

Salvia argentea (silver sage)

• A striking perennial with large, silver basal leaves that looks spectacular in the moonlight
• Use this plant for dramatic foliage and bold texture

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Arundo donax ‘Variegata’

Arundo donax ‘Variegata’ (striped giant reed)

• Variegation picks up moonlight
• Can create dramatic bold shadows in the evening

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Angelonia angustifolia

Angelonia angustifolia ‘Cart White’ (Carita™)

• Easy bedding or container plant that will bloom all season

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Sansevieria trifasciata

Sansevieria trifasciata ‘Silver Queen’ (snake-plant)

• Strong linear and vertical lines
• Common indoor plant that can also be kept outside

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Centaurea cineraria ‘Colchester White’

Centaurea cineraria ‘Colchester White’ (dusty miller)

• Plant has silver, fine-textured foliage

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Thunbergia alata ‘White-Eyed Susie’

Thunbergia alata ‘White-Eyed Susie’ (black-eyed-Susan vine)

• Climber that blooms all season, both day and night
• Blooms are cheerful, 1.5” diameter with a bold black eye

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Athyrium ‘Ghost’ (photo by Beverly Fitts)

Athyrium ‘Ghost’ (painted fern)

• An option for shade or part-shade gardens
• Beautiful frond day and night

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Cleome hassleriana ‘White Queen’

Cleome hassleriana ‘White Queen’

• Classic plant or cottage garden annual
• Unique spider blooms are striking in day against green leaves and at night

For more design inspiration, visit us at Longwood Gardens, where all of these plants on on display, plus more night-blooming beauties. And while you’re here, don’t miss our new exhibition, Light: Installations by Bruce Munro, a whole new way to experience the Gardens at night.

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