Podcasts about smithsonian gardens

The guest on this episode is Phaan Howng! We talk about two botanical “snakes”, get slightly provocative regarding houseplants, go on several tangents, and finally end on the Future of Orchids. We also meet Virginia Thaxton, Interior Horticulturist at Smithsonian Gardens at the Kogod Courtyard at the Smithsonian Portrait Gallery/American Art museum. Show Notes!The Kogod CourtyardThe Future of OrchidsDracaena trifasciataMock Strawberry: A Disdained Common Edible蛇莓传说之物“蛇泡草”，你听老人讲过吗？其实没有毒！Welcome to the weird and wonderful world of the Brendel plant modelArt by Phaan HowngSmithsonian GardensSupport rootbound

JANET DRAPER BIOJanet Draper has been the sole gardener for Smithsonian's Mary Livingston Ripley Garden for 26 years.   This tiny 1/3 of an acre garden is located on the National Mall and is open 24 hours a day to visitors from around the globe.  Janet's roles in the garden include everything from design and maintenance to cleaning the fountain and answering questions from visitors.  Janet's approach is to try to do something different every year to challenge herself and to keep educating visitors about the amazing diversity of plants! Janet was raised in a rural farming community in Indiana and always knew she wanted to do something with plants. She pursued a bachelor's in horticulture from Purdue University in 1987. Afterwards, she sought addition training with a series of internships that took her further than she could ever have imagined. She worked at Mt. Cuba Center for the Study of Native Piedmont Plants in Greenville, Delaware before it was open to the public; Kurt Bluemel's nursery in neighboring Maryland where she learned the European approach to running a nursery, the famed perennial nursery of Countess von Stein-Zeppelin in Germany's Black Forest, and Beth Chatto at her amazing Nursery and Garden in Elmstead Market, England. Once back in the States, she continued to gain experience at numerous nurseries from Long Island to Illinois.  After nearly a decade of working in perennial nurseries, she then started putting plants in the ground instead of little black plastic pots as an estate gardener and contractor for Oehme van Sweden where she helped install and maintain their designs.  She also helped co-found the Annapolis Horticulture Society. You can learn more by visiting Smithsonian Gardens, by contacting Janet at her email address drapeja@si.edu, and by following Smithsonian Gardens on Instagram.THE PLANTASTIC PODCASTThe Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter plant•ed, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

In this episode of GardenDC: The Podcast about Mid-Atlantic Gardening, we chat with Janet Draper, Horticulturist at the Mary Livingston Ripley Garden, part of Smithsonian Gardens. The plant profile is on Balloon Flower and we share what's going on in the garden as well as some upcoming local gardening events in the What's New segment. We close out with the Last Word on Gardening with Water from the late James van Sweden. If you liked this episode, you may also enjoy listening to: ~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 131: 2023 Garden Trends https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2022/12/gardendc-podcast-episode-131-garden.html ~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 29: Butterfly Gardening https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2020/09/gardendc-podcast-episode-29-butterfly.html Show Notes will be posted here on 8-15-23 This episode is archived at: BTW, YOU can become a listener supporter for as little as $0.99 per month! See how at: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gardendc/support. We welcome your questions and comments! You can leave a voice mail message for us at: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gardendc/message  Note that we may use these messages on a future episode. And be sure to leave us a 5-star review on your favorite podcast platform plus share us on social media with #GardenDC, so other gardeners can find us too! Episode Credits: Host and Producer: Kathy Jentz Interview Editor and Show Notes: Marissa Yelenik Recorded on 8-12-2023. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gardendc/support

Nowhere in the world are lawns as revered as they are in the United States. The picture-perfect patch of grass is so deeply rooted in the American psyche it feels more like a default setting than a choice. Americans spend countless hours every year seeding, watering, mowing, and fertilizing patches of grass that don't make much sense, economically or ecologically. But why? In this episode, we dig into the history of our lawnly love to learn where the concept came from...and how we grew so obsessed. Guests: Cindy Brown, manager of collections, education, and access at Smithsonian Gardens Joyce Connolly, museum specialist at the Smithsonian's Archives of American Gardens Abeer Saha, curator of agriculture and engineering at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History Sylvia Schmeichel, lead horticulturist at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History Jeff Schneider, deputy director of Smithsonian Gardens

Welcome to Decorating the Set: From Hollywood to Your Home with Beth Kushnick! Spring is just around the corner and our minds are all going to the outdoors. To get us in the mood, Beth and Caroline sit down with Steve Elton, the Chief Brand Curator for Brown Jordan, the leading manufacturer of fine leisure furnishings. The Interview with Steve begins at Time Code: 6:51. GUEST BIO:  Steven Elton currently serves as the Chief Brand Curator for Brown Jordan, the leading manufacturer of fine leisure furnishings. In his current position, Elton is responsible for preserving the history of Brown Jordan by sharing personal anecdotes of the company's founders and educating others on the three pillars of the brand: heirloom quality, design innovation and jewel-like precision. Elton oversees the curation process for all Brown Jordan showrooms, product catalogs, photo shoots and special projects. With a keen eye for innovative textiles and colors, Elton develops strategic partnerships with companies like Subrella who produce exclusive fabrics for Brown Jordan. Inspired by the Brown Jordan brand as a young furniture salesman in the Northeast, Elton followed his passion and discovered his talent in design and merchandising while studding in the merchandising and textile design. In 1990, Elton determinedly joined the company as a regional sales representative. During the next 32 plus years, he has played an integral role in furthering the Brown Jordan legacy established by its founders, by enthusiastically pursuing and sharing their vision of producing furniture of unsurpassed quality and style. Over the course of his career, Elton has appeared on Bravo, The Style Network and HGTV as well as Elle Décor, Harrods Magazine, World of Interiors, Architectural Digest, Garden Design Magazine, Coastal Living Magazine, Casual Living, Washington Post Magazine, Luxe Interiors + Design and Modern Luxury Magazine. As a prominent curator, Elton is most recognized for the design projects he's completed or colaberated on at The Ritz-Carlton Paris, The White House, The Oscars Green Room, Smithsonian Gardens, Winterthur, Sandy Lane Barbados, Camden Yards, Yankee Stadium and The Beverly Hills Hotel. To expand the Brown Jordan brand, Elton has secured collaborations with category-defining designers like industry icons Ann Verring, Richard Fringier and Michael Smith. He exemplifies a commitment to product that not only stands above in form and function but stands the test of time. Elton is the 2018 ICFA Life Time Achievement award recipient, joining Brown Jordan founder Robert Brown and Richard Frinier as the third person from Brown Jordan to receive this prestigious award. Elton is the Industry Mentor for the Building of Arts at SCAD University in Savanah, is a member of the Design Leadership Network, serves on the American Home Furniture Alience board, the Board of Directors for Kips Bay, and is the current chairman of the International Casual Furniture Association board. Elton lives in Cape Charles, a quaint beach community located on the eastern shore of Virginia, where he spends his time on the water with family, friends. Follow Steve and Brown Jordan Online: Twitter: @brownjordan1945 Instagram: @brownjordan1945 Website: https://www.brownjordan.com/  ### For over 35 years, Beth Kushnick has created character-driven settings for countless award-winning television series and feature films. As a Set Decorator, she's composed visuals that both capture and enhance any story. Now, she wants to help you capture and enhance YOUR story. Join Beth and her co-host, Caroline Daley, each week as they go behind the scenes of Hollywood's magic, and give you approachable, yet sophisticated tips to realize the space that best expresses who you are. ### Follow Beth Kushnick on Social Media:  Instagram: @bethkushnick Twitter: @bethkushnick Website: DecoratingTheSet.com  Follow Caroline Daley on Social Media:

Odcinek nagrany na ulicach Waszyngtonu: zaczynamy w dzielnicy Foggy Bottom, idziemy pod Biały Dom, następnie do Monumentu Waszyngtona, potem Tidal Basin i kończymy w Smithsonian Gardens. Spacer w sam raz na wiosnę, ponieważ na naszej trasie są kwitnące na różowo magnolie oraz wiśnie japońskie.

Nowhere in the world are lawns as revered as they are in the United States. The picture-perfect patch of grass is so deeply rooted in the American psyche it feels more like a default setting than a choice. Americans spend countless hours every year seeding, watering, mowing, and fertilizing patches of grass that don't make much sense, economically or ecologically. But why? In this episode, we dig into the history of our lawnly love to learn where the concept came from...and how we grew so obsessed.   Guests: Cindy Brown, manager of collections, education, and access at Smithsonian Gardens Joyce Connolly, museum specialist at the Smithsonian's Archives of American Gardens Abeer Saha, curator of agriculture and engineering at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History Sylvia Schmeichel, lead horticulturist at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History Jeff Schneider, deputy director of Smithsonian Gardens

This episode we talk with Smithsonian Gardens' horticulturist Sarah Dickert and entomologist Holly Walker about butterfly gardening and Monarch Waystations. The plant profile is on Radishes and I share about the Autumn Daffodils blooming in my garden. Recorded on September 19, 2020. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/gardendc/support

Today we remember the beloved English writer who was punished for treason but adored with flowers. We'll also learn about the female botanical illustrator who is known as the "Audubon of botany." We celebrate the Dean of American Architecture. We also salute the "poet of the blackbirds." We honor the establishment of the horticulture program at the Smithsonian Gardens. In Unearthed Words, we say goodbye to July and hear some poems about the fleeting summer. We Grow That Garden Library™ with a book that celebrates 25 years of the Garden Conservancy through over 50 gardens from across the country. And then we’ll wrap things up with a little story about the Alligator Pear. But first, let's catch up on some Greetings from Gardeners around the world and today’s curated news.   Subscribe Apple  | Google  | Spotify  | Stitcher | iHeart   Gardener Greetings To participate in the Gardener Greetings segment, send your garden pics, stories, birthday wishes and so forth to Jennifer@theDailyGardener.org And, to listen to the show while you're at home, just ask Alexa or Google to play The Daily Gardener Podcast. It's that easy.   Curated News How To Grow A Mood-boosting Garden| Financial Times | Clare Coulson Here's an excerpt: “Isabel Bannerman – who along with her husband, Julian, has created atmospheric gardens for the Prince of Wales at Highgrove [and other royalty] – is a passionate flag-bearer for good-for-you gardening. “Plants are a really good steadier. You can’t let them die, you have to keep going. Like having children, but less demanding,” she says. But as she also notes, gardens are very forgiving. “There’s always another year, another season to look forward to, to try again. There is so much beauty, such sensory pleasure, all of which feeds the soul and the psyche.” For Bannerman, scent is key to creating gardens that transport and revive – a subject she explores in her book Scent Magic: Notes from a Gardener. Natural chemical “uppers”, including indole, are present in the fragrance of lilac and jasmine, while the calming qualities of lavender are connected to linalool. Bannerman uses their powers to envelop the home." Garden designer Jo Thompson says it is really important to have an “enclosed garden (the hortus conclusus). “It’s really important to have a place to sit or even a retreat,” she says. “These areas are magical and inspiring. You’re in nature, there’s movement and life but you feel safe...”  American journalist and author Florence Williams has gathered and simplified the research in her book The Nature Fix, which reveals that we are hard-wired to be in the natural world. “Our brains become relaxed because these are things that we are designed to look at, hear and smell,” she says. “The frontal lobe – the part of our brain that’s hyper-engaged in modern life – deactivates a little when you’re outside, while alpha waves, which indicate a calm but alert state, grow stronger.” Korean researchers have found that pictures of landscapes stimulate brain function in... areas associated with empathy and altruism."   Alright, that’s it for today's gardening news. Now, if you'd like to check out my curated news articles and blog posts for yourself, you're in luck, because I share all of it with the Listener Community in the Free Facebook Group - The Daily Gardener Community. There’s no need to take notes or search for links - the next time you're on Facebook, search for Daily Gardener Community and request to join. I'd love to meet you in the group.   Important Events 1703  It was on this day in 1703 that the English journalist and author Daniel Defoe was made to stand in the pillory in front of the temple bar. Daniel is remembered for his popular novel Robinson Crusoe which, at the time, claimed to be second to the Bible in its number of published translations. After Daniel was convicted of treason for one of his political writings, he was punished with time at the pillory. The pillory was essentially a stockade; the hands and head were stuck between two giant beams of wood. The person would stand in the pillory for days. It was a horrible punishment and it was usually reserved for hideous crimes. While Daniel was in the pillory, the crowds did their best to show their support; they sang songs, shouted encouragements, and threw flowers at his feet instead of mud. In 1830, a biography of Daniel said that his stocks were adorned with garlands and that drinks were provided to celebrate Daniel's release. The image of Daniel standing with his head and hands in the stocks surrounded by an adoring audience was memorialized in an 1862 painting by Eyre Crowe. Gardeners will especially notice the flowers strewn on the ground in the foreground. On the right, there are two women struggling to hold on to a large basket of flowers as they are being pushed away by the red coats. Behind the women, a man has managed to attach a small bouquet to the tip of a spear that he is attempting to give to Daniel who is standing calmly in the pillory.   1860  It’s the birthday of the botanical illustrator Mary Vaux Walcott who born in Philadelphia on this day. Gardeners appreciate Mary for her meticulously accurate watercolors of plants and flowers. For this reason, Mary is regarded as the "Audobon of Botany." Mary began her career as an illustrator one summer after being challenged to paint a rare blooming Arnica. Although her effort was only a modest success, it encouraged her to pursue art. In the pursuit of her art, Mary met Charles Doolittle Walcott. They were both doing fieldwork in the Canadian Rockies, and they found they were equally yoked. They married the following year. At the time, Charles was the secretary of the Smithsonian; that's how Mary was tapped to develop the Smithsonian process printing technique. Mary created hundreds of illustrations of the native plants of North America. Her five-volume set entitled North American Wildflowers showcases the stunning beauty of common wildflowers, many of which are at peak bloom right now. In addition to her work as a botanist, Mary was a successful glacial geologist and photographer. She was the first woman to summit a peak over 10,000 feet in Canada when she tackled Mount Stephen. Today Mary even has a mountain named after her in Jasper - Mount Mary Vaux.   1895  Today is the anniversary of the death of Richard Morris Hunt, who was an American architect during the gilded age. Gardeners know Richard for his collaborations with Frederick Law Olmsted. They worked together on the Vanderbilt mausoleum and the Chicago world‘s fair. Their ultimate collaboration occurred in Asheville, North Carolina, where they worked together to design the gardens, house, and manor village for the Biltmore Estate. Richard is often recognized as the Dean of American Architecture. He was the first American trained at the prestigious Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris. If you get the chance to walk around Central Park, you’ll discover a memorial to honor Richard Morris Hunt. The memorial is located on the eastern perimeter of the park, and it was created by the same man who created the monument to Abraham Lincoln in the Lincoln Memorial: Daniel Chester French. When he was alive, Richard wanted to elevate the public taste in design and the arts, but he was also flexible enough to meet them where they were. Modern-day designers will recognize the truth of Richard’s advice to other Landscape Architects. He said, "The first thing you've got to remember is that it's your clients' money you're spending. Your goal is to achieve the best results by following their wishes. If they want you to build a house upside down standing on its chimney, it's up to you to do it."   1917  Today is the anniversary of the death of the Irish war poet and soldier Francis Ledwidge. Francis grew up in the Irish countryside. When he became a writer, he established himself as the "poet of the blackbirds." Francis was killed in action during World War I at the Battle of Passchendaele.   When the clouds shake their hyssops and the rain Like holy water falls upon the plain, 'Tis sweet to gaze upon the springing grain And see your harvest born. And sweet the little breeze of melody The blackbird puffs upon the budding tree, While the wild poppy lights upon the lea And blazes 'mid the corn. — Francis Ledwidge, A Rainy Day in April   Broom out the floor now, lay the fender by, And plant this bee-sucked bough of woodbine there, And let the window down. The butterfly Floats in upon the sunbeam, and the fair Tanned face of June, the nomad gypsy, laughs Above her widespread wares, the while she tells The farmer's fortunes in the fields, and quaffs The water from the spider-peopled wells. The hedges are all drowned in green grass seas, And bobbing poppies flare like Elmo's light While siren-like the pollen-stained bees Drone in the clover depths. And up the height The cuckoo's voice is hoarse and broke with joy. And on the lowland crops, the crows make raid, Nor fear the clappers of the farmer's boy, Who sleeps, like drunken Noah, in the shade. And loop this red rose in that hazel ring That snares your little ear, for June is short  And we must joy in it and dance and sing, And from her bounty draw her rosy worth. Ay! soon the swallows will be flying south, The wind wheel north to gather in the snow Even the roses spilt on youth's red mouth Will soon blow down the road all roses go.  — Francis Ledwidge, June   1972   It was on this day that the horticulture program at the Smithsonian Gardens was established by Sydney Dylan Ripley, who served as the secretary of the Smithsonian. An American ornithologist and conservationist, Sidney had been inspired by the area around the Louvre in France as a child. With the Louvre always in the back of his mind, Sidney hoped to make the Smithsonian a bustling destination with activities to engage crowds of visitors and tourists. The horticultural services division was created to provide landscaping in and around the Smithsonian museums. Sidney knew that gardens not only attracted pollinators but people as well. In 2010, the Smithsonian horticultural program was renamed the Smithsonian Gardens to recognize the central role that the gardens play in the visitor experience.   Unearthed Words Today we say, “Goodbye, July. Until next year, we’ll miss you.”  Today’s words are about the fleeting summer.   Our fear of death is like our fear that summer will be short, but when we have had our swing of pleasure, our fill of fruit, and our swelter of heat, we say we have had our day. — Ralph Waldo Emerson, American essayist and poet   You have seen the blossoms among the leaves; tell me, how long will they stay? Today they tremble before the hand that picks them; tomorrow they await someone's garden broom. —Hanshan, Chinese Tang Dynasty   Grow That Garden Library Outstanding American Gardens by Page Dickey This book came out in 2015 and the subtitle is  A Celebration: 25 Years of the Garden Conservancy. This gorgeous book celebrated the 25th anniversary of the Garden Conservancy. The book highlights eight gardens preserved by the conservancy and 43 gardens that have participated in the Open Days Program. The author, Page Dickey, is a well-known garden writer. Among her many books are Gardens in the Spirit of Place, the award-winning BreakingGround: Portraits of Ten Garden Designers, and Duck Hill Journal. She created Duck Hill, her garden in North Salem, New York, over the past 30 years. This book is 272 pages of inspiring gardens from all around the country and photographed in a variety of seasons from spring to fall. You can get a copy of Outstanding American Gardens by Page Dickey and support the show, using the Amazon Link in today's Show Notes for around $20.   Today’s Botanic Spark Today is National Avocado Day. Avocado is a fruit, and it was initially called an alligator pear by Sir Hans Sloane in 1696. And, Guinness has a giant avocado recorded at 5 pounds, 6 and ½ ounces. Don’t forget that the skin of an avocado can be toxic to cats and dogs - but the flesh of an avocado is higher in potassium than bananas. Now, the next time the price of avocados gets you down, remember that avocados are harvested by hand. Pickers need to use a 16-foot pole to reach the hanging fruit. And, finally, here’s a little fun fact about avocados: The conquistadors used avocado seeds to write. It turns out, the avocado seed produces a milky liquid that changes to the color red when exposed to air.

Did you know that poppies were Christopher Lloyd's his favorite flower?  In his short essay about poppies, he introduces 'Goliath' poppies which grow to 4 feet tall and offer the largest blooms of any poppy.   Lloyd wrote about the blooms saying, "They are rich crimson, which is as exciting as scarlet. In choosing plant neighbors to vie with it, I have been best pleased with an equally bright and pure yellow giant buttercup. Ranunculus acris ‘Stevenii.’ It is, however, shocking to discover that there are some gardeners (and non -gardeners) of congenitally weak and palsied constitution who do not like strong colors and who even pride themselves, as a class apart, on their good taste. The good-taste brigade can only think comfortably in terms of color harmonies and of soft and soothing pastel shades." Oh, how it pains the heart to be called out by Christopher Lloyd, doesn't it? Well, even though he thinks we're too meek when it comes to color in the garden, we are in violent agreement when it comes to procurement. You'll love this little snippet about how he came to own the poppy "Beauty Queen": "I took a fancy to ‘Beauty Queen’ in a friend’s garden in Scotland in June, when it was flowering, and received permission to take a piece. When you see a plant that you must have, the answer to the question “Would you like some at the right time? should be “I’d rather have it now,” right time or not. Otherwise, the right time will surely slip by, the transference of the coveted piece from central Scotland to the south of England (or from California to Maine) will be in convenient, and all you’ll have is a gnawing gap in the pit of your wish-world."   Brevities #OTD  It was on this day in 1703 that Daniel Defoe was made to stand in the pillory in front of the temple bar.  The pillory was basically a stockade; the hands and head would be caught between two large beams of wood. It was a horrible punishment. It was usually reserved for the most hideous crimes. When Dafoe was convicted of sedition, the crowds did their best to show their support; they threw flowers at his feet instead of mud.   The image of Defoe standing with his head and hands in the stocks surrounded by an adoring audience was memorialized in an 1862 painting.    In 1830, a biography of Defoe said that the stocks were adorned with garlands and that drinks were provided to celebrate Dafoe's release.     #OTD It’s the birthday of Mary Vaux Walcott born in Philadelphia today in 1860. Gardeners know Walcott for her work as a botanical illustrator; she created meticulously accurate watercolors of plants and flowers. She is known as the "Audobon of botany". Walcott became an illustrator one summer after being challenged to paint a rare blooming Arnica. Although her effort was only a modest success, it encouraged her to pursue the art. In that pursuit, she met Charles Doolittle Walcott. They were both doing fieldwork in the Canadian Rockies and they found they were equally yoked. They married the following year. At the time, Charles was the secretary of the Smithsonian; that's how Walcott came to develop the Smithsonian process printing technique. Walcott created hundreds of illustrations of the native plants of North America. Her five volume set entitled North American Wildflowersshowcases the stunning beauty of everyday wildflowers, many of which are at peak bloom right now. In addition to her work as a botanist, Mary was a successful glacial geologist and photographer. She was the first woman to summit a peak over 10,000 feet in Canada when she tackled Mount Stephen. Today Walcott even has a mountain named after her in Jasper - Mount Mary Vaux.     #OTD   Today’s the anniversary of the death of Richard Morris Hunt who was an American architect during the gilded age.   Gardeners know Hunt for his collaborations with the Frederick Law Olmsted. They worked together on the Vanderbilt mausoleum and the Chicago world‘s fair. Their ultimate collaboration occurred in Asheville, North Carolina, where they worked together to design the gardens, house, and manor village for the Biltmore estate.   Hunt is often recognized as theDean of American Architecture. He was the first American trained at the prestigious Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris.    Although Hunt and Olmsted had history, they clashed over Hunt's design for the southern entrance to Central Park.   Hunt had won the competition to design it, but Olmsted and Vaux balked when they saw Hunt's glorious plan.   For the main entrance at Fifth Avenue, Hunt had designed what he called the Gate of Peace. It included a circular fountain within a square parterre.    The most magnificent part of his plan, was a semi circular terrace with a 50 foot column featuring a sailor and a Native American holding up the cities arms. At the base of the column was to be a monument to Henry Hudson. It involved a pool of water featuring Neptune in his chariot and Henry Hudson standing on the prowl of a ship. On the back side, there was a memorial to Christopher Columbus.   Thinking the public would embrace his grand vision, Hunt made the decision to promote his designs for the park all on his own.   But Hunt did not appreciate Vaux's is power. Although privately Vaux said that Hunt's plans were "splendid and striking"; publicly he told a friend they were, "what the country had been fighting against... Napoleon III in disguise all over. Vaux summarized that Hunt's designs were, "not American but the park was."    Ironically, in 1898, a memorial was erected in Central Park to honor Richard Morris Hunt.   The memorial is located on the eastern perimeter of the park and it was created by the same man who created the monument to Abraham Lincoln in the Lincoln Memorial: Daniel Chester French.   When he was alive, Hunt wanted to elevate the publics taste in design and the arts, but he was also flexible enough to meet them where they were. It was Richard Maurice Hunter who said, "The first thing you've got to remember is that it's your clients' money you're spending. Your goal is to achieve the best results by following their wishes. If they want you to build a house upside down standing on its chimney, it's up to you to do it."     #OTD  It was on this day in 1972 that the horticulture program at the Smithsonian Gardens was established by Sydney Dylan Ripley who was the secretary of the Smithsonian. An American ornithologist and conservationist, as a child Ripley had been inspired by the area around the Louvre in France. He had hoped to make the Smithsonian a bustling area with activities for visitors and tourists. The purpose for the establishment of the horticultural services division was to provide landscaping  in and around the Smithsonian museums. In 2010, the horticultural program was renamed the Smithsonian Gardens to recognize the role that the gardens play in the visitor experience.         Unearthed Words Here's a poem by Robert Frost called ‘Lodged’.  This is a short garden poem. In six little lines, Frost connects himself to the flowers in the flowerbed, pelted by wind and rain; yet through it all, managing to survive. The rain to the wind said, 'You push and I'll pelt.' They so smote the garden bed That the flowers actually knelt, And lay lodged--though not dead. I know how the flowers felt.   Today's book recommendation: Gardenista: The Definitive Guide to Stylish Outdoor Spaces by Michelle Slatalla    Slatella's book was named "the best gift book for gardeners" by the New York Times book review.   The book was put together by the team responsible for Gardenista and Remodelista. It’s chockfull of hundreds of design tips and easy DIY‘s. It features 100 classic garden objects and a landscape primer with tips from the pros.   It’s a fantastic resource for folks hoping to get Garden Design 101 tips from the best and most creative in the business.     Today's Garden Chore Check for overcrowding and overall areas of meh. Garden chores tend to get pushed aside this time of year. But it's worth spending a little time this week looking closely at the overall appearance of your beds, borders and containers. Take your camera with you to document what you see. If the beds are both crowded and unattractive, you'll probably need to do a bit of pruning and transplanting to whip those beds into shape for the remainder of the season.   Something Sweet  Reviving the little botanic spark in your heart   Today is National Avocado Day.   Avocado is a fruit and it was originally called an alligator pear by Sir Hans Sloane in 1696.   And, Guinness has the largest avocado recorded at 5 pounds 6 1/2 ounces.   Don’t forget that the skin of an avocado can be toxic to cats and dogs - but the flesh of an avocado is actually higher in potassium than bananas.   Now, the next time the price of avocados gets you down, remember that avocados are harvested by hand. Pickers need to use a 16-foot pole to reach the hanging fruit.   And, finally, here’s a little fun fact about avocados:   The conquistadors used  avocado seeds to write.   It turns out, the avocado seed produces a milky liquid that changes to the color red when exposed to air.     Thanks for listening to the daily gardener, and remember: "For a happy, healthy life, garden every day."

As a longtime staff member at Smithsonian Gardens, Cindy Brown has been involved in a wide array of community outreach and educational programming in the nation’s capital. She has worked diligently to ensure that people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities feel comfortable and empowered in a horticultural landscape. In this episode we explore the challenges and rewards associated with greening the city, working with volunteers, and bringing Smithsonian Gardens into the lives of people everywhere. --- Glossary of terms used in this episode: “Gerontology” - defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary as “the comprehensive study of aging and the problems of the aged.” “Green Spaces” - most often this refers to densely planted spaces in cities, which usually contrast with the paved and/or developed spaces that characterize urban landscapes. Green Space could include a park, bike trail, arboretum or public garden. “Stewardship” - the practice of taking responsibility for protecting, preserving or improving a place or property. Stewards are often volunteers. “Living Collections” - in botany and horticulture, this refers to plants and specimens that are catalogued and made available for scientific research and public exhibits. “Natural History” - in this context, it refers to the National Museum of Natural History in Washington DC, which was founded in 1910 and is administered by the Smithsonian Institution.

NRPA has always been a champion for pollinators, but in the past few years as bee and monarch populations have seen scary rates of decline, we’ve stepped up our involvement in helping to save pollinators — not only through local parks and recreation, but at our headquarters and through promoting ways we all can play a small part in saving these critical critters. (You can check out our Pollination Across the Nation poster here.) As part of this pursuit, we support the Million Pollinator Garden Challenge, which is closing in on its goal and now counts over 600,000 pollinator gardens in every area of the U.S. NRPA is also a member of the National Pollinator Garden Network (NPGN), a nation-wide non-profit coalition to fight the decline of pollinator species across the nation. At their recent annual meeting, NRPA’s VP for Strategic Initiatives (and previous contributor to Open Space Radio), Rich Dolesh, heard Kedar Narayan, age 9, tell his amazing story of how he developed an app and a board game to bring awareness to the decline of pollinators and ways that kids and their families could help.   After hearing Rich’s rave reviews on Kedar, we knew we had to chat with him on Open Space Radio. Luckily Kedar (with permission from his mother Anita — his teacher and fellow coder), agreed to tell us all about his app and love of pollinators.  Download Kedar’s App App Tutorial Visit Kedar’s Website Fox 29 News Story on Kedar The Morning Call News Story on the Pollinator for a Pet App Photos courtesy of Anita Narayan. Top photo: Kedar presenting his art work to Cindy Brown of Smithsonian Gardens. Lower photos: Other art work he has created for a local nature art show in his hometown.

Over the past year of Cultivating Place interviews, we’ve heard references to the importance of the Smithsonian Gardens archives for the research of such historians, writers and gardeners as Marta McDowell while writing "All the President’s Gardens", as Andrea Wulf while she was writing "Founding Gardeners" and "The Invention of Nature", and as Ryder Ziebarth as she was working to document and preserve 5 generations of her family working and gardening on one piece of land. This past May, the Smithsonian Gardens – a branch of the Smithsonian Institution dedicated to enriching the Smithsonian experience through exceptional gardens, horticultural exhibits, collections, and education – launched a new exhibition entitled “Cultivating America’s Gardens”. The exhibition will be on view at the National Museum of American History through August of 2018. In honor of our country’s birthday this week, and the hand-in-hand role gardens play in the history of our country – this week on Cultivating Place I’m pleased to be joined by the curator of the exhibit, Kelly Crawford. In the second half of today’s program we’ll be joined by Cindy Brown, Manager of Education and Collections Management at Smithsonian Gardens to learn more about the gardens and their on-going mission and activities. Happy birthday to the United States of America – seems to me an exhibit celebrating our shared garden history is a perfect gift.

Tales of deception and trickery: A sneaky orchid seeks sexually frustrated pollinator; a battle fought by decoys; and a gender-bending zombie invasion of the Chesapeake Bay.

Installation of the exhibition, "Orchids: A View from the East," at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History. This exhibit was put on by Smithsonian Gardens and the Office of Exhibits Central. http://orchids.si.edu/exhibits/exhibits.html