NVCC Horticulture Club, Loudoun Campus

Fyi:
https://www.facebook.com/1079790155503154/posts/2165390750276417/

We are pleased to announce that we are currently hiring here at VOF's living laboratory and open-air museum!

If you happen to know someone who is enthusiastic about working in an outdoor setting and enjoys working directly with, and contributing to, their community - please send them our way!

We are hoping to find someone who is relatively "handy" and passionate about land stewardship and the full-suite of natural and cultural resources our state-designated Natural Area Preserve has to offer!

Experience with invasive plant removal, trail maintenance, prescriptive horticultural maintenance, land monitoring and stewardship, and assisting with field science and outreach programs is a huge plus!

This position is a full-time, permanent Conservation Assistant that will be based out of our Preserve at Bull Run Mountains based in Broad Run, Virginia (5 minutes from Haymarket off Rt. 66)!

HRT 201 Landscape Plants I in the NOVA display gardens. This fall 2021 this class will be on Thursday evenings with some Saturday morning field trips. Sites we visit are Meadowlark Gardens, Green Spring Gardens, Morven Farm and other sites. Not all classrooms have 4 walls!

Parktakes Online | Park Authority

Green Spring Gardens
Adult Programs spring 2021

Green Spring Gardens
4603 Green Spring Road
Alexandria, Virginia
Saturday, March 20
Basic Pruning Techniques for Shrubs
10am-12pm. (Adults) Learn to prune like a pro with this walk and talk led by pruning instructor Peter Deahl. Discover which shrubs and evergreens need pruning in late winter and learn techniques for keeping your plants healthy and beautiful. Bring gloves and disinfected pruners. $23 per person. Register online at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/parktakes (424.U5WX) or call Green Spring Gardens at 703-642-5173.

Saturday, March 27
Spring Tasks for a Great Garden
10:30am-12:00pm. (Adults) Horticulturalist Brenda Skarphol shows you things you can do to prepare your garden for a beautiful spring. Learn what plants you can and should divide now, the most effective pruning techniques, and more to set up your garden for fresh spring growth. $18 per person. This program is also available virtually. Register online at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/parktakes (656.W5CH) or call Green Spring Gardens at 703-642-5173.

Saturday, April 10
Plants & Design: Japanese Garden Virtual Program
11am-12pm. (Adults) Japanese garden design is an art thousands of years in the making. Stone, gravel, water, bridges, moon gates, paths and plants all hold significance. Whether you are looking to make your own Japanese style garden or simply want to learn to appreciate its elemental meanings, this virtual program with horticulturalist Bevan Shimizu teaches you the essentials for creating a Japanese-style garden. The virtual link will be sent up to an hour before the start of the program. $18 per person. Register online at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/parktakes (9HA.S8WN) or call Green Spring Gardens at 703-642-5173.

Saturday, April 17
Mastering Weeds in Your Garden
10:30am-12:00pm. (Adults) Learn how to identify common w**ds and invasive plants in your garden and natural areas on this walk with horticulturist Brenda Skarphol. Learn about w**d life cycles and how w**ds end up in your yard. Come away with some w**d management techniques with a special emphasis on organic strategies. $18 per person. Register online at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/parktakes (008.NTYA) or call Green Spring Gardens at 703-642-5173.

Saturday, May 1
Garden Tour: Green Spring Up and Down
10-11:30am. (Adults) Extension Master Gardeners lead a special “Grand Tour” of Green Spring! View some upper demonstration gardens, then take the garden path less travelled to explore the naturalistic lower garden areas: the Virginia Native Plant Garden, woodland stream valley, and ponds. The tour involves a steep slope with loose gravel. $15 per person. Register online at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/parktakes (8A0.7XFX) or call Green Spring Gardens at 703-642-5173.

Saturday, May 1
Plants & Design: Multiply Your Plants
10:30am-12:00pm. (16-Adults) Multiply your plants through the simple, money-saving techniques of stem cuttings and plant division. Green Spring staff will walk you through this hands-on workshop where you will learn to propagate house and garden plants. Take a few starter plants home to grow for your garden. Your garden will flourish with your new skill. $22 per person. Register online at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/parktakes (586.KQ17) or call Green Spring Gardens at 703-642-5173.

Saturday, May 22
Plants & Design: Hummingbird Garden
1-2:30pm. (Adults) Attracting hummingbirds to your garden is fun and easy to do. Learn fascinating hummingbird facts and how to create a garden habitat for hummingbirds with Green Spring horticulturalist Susan Eggerton. Get a list of choice plants to get started on your hummingbird garden. $22 per person. This program is also available virtually. Register online at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/parktakes (1A6.AMPP) or call Green Spring Gardens at 703-642-5173.

Saturday, May 22
Virtual Program: Hummingbird Garden
1-2:30pm. (Adults) Attracting hummingbirds to your garden is fun and easy to do. Learn fascinating hummingbird facts and how to create a garden habitat for hummingbirds with Green Spring horticulturalist Susan Eggerton. Get a list of choice plants to get started on your hummingbird garden. $10 per person. Registrants will receive a link to connect via Zoom prior to the program and will have an opportunity to ask questions live. This program is also available in person. Register online at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/parktakes (PHD.8QLY) or call Green Spring Gardens at 703-642-5173.

Saturday, June 5
Garden Tools and Perennial Maintenance
10-11am. (16-Adults) Join horticulturalist Karen Rexrode outdoors for an educational walk through the gardens focused on perennial maintenance and useful gardening tools to get the job done. Learn what the garden professionals see and do to ensure a happy, healthy, and beautiful garden. $18 per person. Register online at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/parktakes (E9K.HSNA) or call Green Spring Gardens at 703-642-5173.

Saturday, June 5
Plants & Design: Herbs—A Baker's Dozen
1-2:30pm. (16-Adults) Green Spring staff teach you how to grow common culinary herbs and creative ways to use them in the kitchen. Learn about cultural requirements, harvesting, preservation, propagation methods, resources, and recipes. Herbs will be available in the plant shop to get you started. $22 per person. Register online at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/parktakes (A57.4JZM) or call Green Spring Gardens at 703-642-5173.

Saturday, June 5
Edible Garden Tour
10-11:30am. (Adults) Explore the bounty of Green Spring’s Edible Garden with an Extension Master Gardener docent who showcases many food plants—from vegetables to fruit trees— suitable for home landscapes. See how edibles can grow in containers and small spaces and discover their ornamental value in the garden. $15 per person. Register online at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/parktakes (96U.YX7Y) or call Green Spring Gardens at 703-642-5173.

Saturday, June 12
Attractive and Lasting Plant Combinations: Virtual Program
11am-12pm. (16-Adult) Explore how to play with color, form, and texture in a perennial/shrub border with Washington Gardener Magazine publisher, Kathy Jentz. This virtual, image-heavy talk includes the tried-and-true proven combinations as well as some daring new mixes to experiment with in your own home garden. Take notes and get inspired with the formulas for beautiful plant combinations. This Green Spring Gardens program is being offered virtually on Zoom. A link for the program will be sent out via email on the day of the program , up to an hour before the program start time. $18 per person. Register online at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/parktakes (CDV.0K4P) or call Green Spring Gardens at 703-642-5173.


Event

Saturday, March, 27
Washington Gardener Magazine Seed Exchange
12-2pm or 2pm-4pm. (Adults) The 15th annual Washington Gardener Seed Exchange will take place at Green Spring Gardens. Label and bring your extra seeds, houseplant cuttings and seedlings, and swap them with other gardeners. Attendees will receive planting tips, local gardening advice, and goody bags, as well as a chance to win door prizes. This program will be held indoors with social distancing and limited registration. $15 per person. Wear a mask. Temperature checks administered at the door. Register online at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/parktakes (12-2pm code KNZ.CAB6; 2pm-4pm code KNZ.PUVH) or call Green Spring Gardens at 703-642-5173.


Garden Talks

Friday, March 12
Garden Talk: Designing an EcoSavvy Garden
1:30-2:30pm. (Adults) Learn to work with nature's resources to develop a beautiful, low-maintenance urban garden. With a little bit of knowledge, careful planning, and some effort, see how native trees/shrubs provide structure and year-round interest, along with colorful annuals and perennials that add seasonal color splashes. Extension Master Gardeners show you how to create a healthy, sustainable, and eco-savvy garden. $12 per person. Register online at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/parktakes (B6X.3T3H) or call Green Spring Gardens at 703-642-5173.

Saturday, March 27
Garden Talk: Growing Tomatoes From Seed to Sauce
10-11am. (Adults) More than anything else in the garden, there is nothing like a freshly picked tomato! Growing your own gives you flexibility, picking whatever variety best suits your own taste. Extension Master Gardeners show you healthy ways to grow tomatoes, varieties available, and how to manage pests and diseases. $12 per person. Register online at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/parktakes (EC4.CI21) or call Green Spring Gardens at 703-642-5173.

Saturday, April 3
Garden Talk: Design Great Containers
10-11am. (Adults) Whether its flower pots, hanging baskets or window boxes, container gardens are beautiful, easy and rewarding. Join Extension Master Gardeners to gain information and inspiration for creating a dazzling display. $12 per person. Register online at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/parktakes (D0C.KP95) or call Green Spring Gardens at 703-642-5173.

Friday, April 23
Garden Talk: Gardening for Bees
1:30-2:30pm. (Adults) Bees are threatened by habitat loss, pesticides and climate change. Extension Master Gardeners show you how to nurture bees, particularly honey bees, in your garden by growing a variety of plants that support them. $12 per person. Register online at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/parktakes (3F6.E98L) or call Green Spring Gardens at 703-642-5173.

Saturday, May 22
Garden Talk: Make for the Shade
10-11am. (Adults) Let Extension Master Gardeners show you the many wonderful plant possibilities for your shade garden. Learn how to add interest with color, pattern and texture to create that cool mid-summer retreat. $12 per person. Register online at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/parktakes (TDQ.36ZE) or call Green Spring Gardens at 703-642-5173.

By-Request Programs

Private Garden Tours for Groups and Individuals
Arrange a private tour of the demonstration gardens. Green Spring Extension Master Gardener docents lead garden tours year-round. These knowledgeable, highly trained guides interpret the gardens, the plant collections, the site’s mission, and its historic legacy. Home gardeners can learn about top landscape plant choices and plant combinations. General and themed garden tours are available. $10 per person for groups of 20 or more; $12 per person for 19 or fewer (minimum of 2) Groups of more than 10 people will be divided into smaller groups to allow for social distancing. For information or to schedule a garden tour call Historic Green Spring at (703) 941-7987.

Parktakes Online | Park Authority Fairfax County, Virginia - Welcome to Parktakes Online. Registering for Fairfax County Park Authority programs through Parktakes online is now even easier with an improved system that offers a new look and feel.

NVCC Horticulture Club, Loudoun Campus updated their website address.

NVCC Horticulture Club, Loudoun Campus updated their website address.

Nature's Best Hope

This is a lecture event not to be missed professor and award-winning author Doug Tallamy!
Free sposored by Oak Spring Garden Foundation

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/natures-best-hope-tickets-95425053905

Nature's Best Hope A free lecture at The Hill School's Sheila C. Johnson Performing Arts Center by professor and award-winning author Doug Tallamy.

Praying Mantis Love Is Waaay Weirder Than You Think | Deep Look

Praying Mantis Love is Waaay Weirder Than You Think | Deep Look

https://www.kqed.org/science/1917469/praying-mantis-love-is-waaay-weirder-than-you-think-deep-look

You may already know about the head eating Mantis, but watch this all the way to the end!

Praying Mantis Love Is Waaay Weirder Than You Think | Deep Look These pocket-sized predators are formidable hunters. But when it comes to hooking up, male mantises have good reason to fear commitment.

Nursery web spider - Trading a fly for s*x

Happy Valentines to all you "bug" fans!

Nursery web spider - Trading a fly for s*x A short sequence showcasing the mating habits of the nursery web spider. Music by Richard Collins. Check his stuff out here: https://soundcloud.com/rcollins-...

Congratulations and thanks to the students of the HRT 121 Greenhouse class for finishing the very successful Poinsettia crop this year!

Memories from the 2019 Club Poinsettia Sale!

Adjunct faculty memeber Kim Wright led the Horticulture Club, a few florist students and faculty members in a boxwood wreath making workshop last weekend. We also combined the fun with some great food. Thanks to all who made this happen!

Look where 125 of our Poinsettias went! Parkview High School's band for concert decorations and fund raising. Wow, aren't they beautiful!

It all starts tomorrow Noon-6:00pm! 13 colors of Picture Perfect Poinsettias, Succulent Wish Gardens, Colorful Coleus, Beautiful Bromeliads, Marvelous Mini Jades. Come and shop in the Loudoun Greenhouse!

Get ready for NVCC's Hort Club Poinsettia "Plus" Sale. New offerings succulents, Bromeliades, Coleus and more! Dec 3 &4!

How to Turn Fallen Leaves into Springtime Mulch | Longwood Gardens

https://longwoodgardens.org/blog/2019-11-08/how-turn-fallen-leaves-springtime-mulch?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=Continue%20Reading&utm_campaign=Blog%20Post%2011.8.19

How to Turn Fallen Leaves into Springtime Mulch | Longwood Gardens

Transplanting "Party" Will we see you at the LR Garden on Monday? Let's get a head count on how many volunteers will be there! Comment "yes"!!!

2,624-year-old tree discovered in North Carolina swamp is one of the oldest on Earth

Check out this story- very old Bald Cypress trees on the East Coast!

2,624-year-old tree discovered in North Carolina swamp is one of the oldest on Earth Researchers have identified a group of ancient bald cypress trees which are over 2,000 years old.

*Edit: Check your email for registration.*

Volunteers needed!

The Reynolds building (LR) will soon be undergoing renovations that will have an impact on the garden area. Next Monday, October 21 from 2-5pm, we will be digging out select perennials and replanting or potting them for use elsewhere on campus. Some plants may be available for to volunteers keep and take home. Meet up is at the LR courtyard entrance and tools will be provided. We hope to see you there!

Club members! Don't forget that this Monday, October 14, we have been invited to volunteer at Earth Sangha in Springfield, VA between 11 and 12. Afterwards, we will be given a private tour and talk about the organization from Conservation Manager Matt Bright.

Earth Sangha is a non-profit supported in part by the Fairfax County Park Authority to provide governments and residents of the DC region with native plants for habitat restoration and residential use. They collect seeds from 50 sites across the region and currently grow 340 species. Every Sunday, Monday, and Thursday they are open from 9-12 to the public for volunteer workdays and plant sales. https://www.earthsangha.org/

Please register using the emailed link as Earth Sangha has asked for a count to better prepare the volunteer activity. Also, please note if you wish to carpool or drive.

Spotted a beaut today! Keep your eyes open for these and other beneficial insects as summer comes to a close!

https://www.insectidentification.org/insect-description.asp?identification=Blue-Winged-Wasp

Greenhouse class starts in 11 days! Welcome to all the students who've enrolled and gotten our numbers up so it's a go!
We're looking for 8-10 five gallon buckets for this class. If you have a couple hanging around that you'd like to donate please email me and bring them the next time you're on campus! [email protected]

Looking for work? The Smithsonian is hiring!

Join our team and help us grow. We are currently hiring Supervisory Horticulturists. Applications are due September 5th, you can find the job posting here: https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/543188900

Perspective | A guide to the Mall’s best gardens, which are lush, romantic — and often hidden.

How many of these gardens have you visited?

Perspective | A guide to the Mall’s best gardens, which are lush, romantic — and often hidden. Some of the city’s most-treasured spots are green, small and not monumental.

Join the Horticulture Club on August 27th, 2019 and be a part of great opportunities such as trips to public gardens, community service activities, and plant sales during the fall and spring semesters. Our first meeting of the semester will take place at 4:30pm in room 102 of the Life Sciences building on the Loudoun campus. Expand your knowledge within the field, grow a green thumb, and meet others who share a passion for plants.
All students welcome!
Future Club meeting dates and times will be determined in this meeting.

You can still enroll and pay your tuition for Greenhouse Production HRT 121 until Friday evening-Go for it!

Smithsonian Scientists Are Using Ginkgo Leaves to Study Climate Change—They Need Your Help

An interesting read, coupled with an opportunity to lend a hand to the Smithsonian.

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/smithsonian-scientists-use-ginkgo-leaves-study-climate-change-they-need-your-help-180972806/?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=socialmedia

Smithsonian Scientists Are Using Ginkgo Leaves to Study Climate Change—They Need Your Help Citizen scientists can submit leaf samples from their hometowns through the end of August

Gardener

Job posting for US Botanic Gardens!

https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/541784200/?share=facebook

Gardener The AOC's office of US Botanic Garden is accepting applications for a Gardener possessing a broad knowledge of tropical, sub-tropical, temperate and arid plants to support unique conservatory exhibits and programs.  The Gardener is responsible for propagating and growing seaso...

The Co**se Flower is almost ready to bloom!

https://m.facebook.com/ClevelandMetroparksZoo/photos/a.192459715001/10162169851690002/?type=3

We're getting closer!!! Cleveland Metroparks Zoo's giant flowering titan arum plant, known as the co**se flower, is getting ready to bloom in the Zoo's RainForest! The spathe is getting much darker and the plant's growth (currently 61 inches!) has slowed down over the past two days, which are all signs that we are close to bloom. Tune in to watch its progress, here: https://youtu.be/KHr2q7vdg8k

Club members, don't forget to register for our trip to Charlottesville. Registration officially closes Tuesday. Let us know if you need a ride. See you soon!

Where To Find The Most Unusual Trees In D.C. | DCist

Interesting find.
https://dcist.com/story/19/06/26/where-to-find-the-most-unusual-trees-in-d-c/

Where To Find The Most Unusual Trees In D.C. | DCist There's a nearly 400-year-old bonsai, a tree planted by Frederick Douglass, and a few giant sequoias.

Horticulturist

NOVA Horticulture has a full time job opening!

https://nvcc.peopleadmin.com/postings/24344

Horticulturist
Department Natural and Applied Science-Horticulture
Posting Number 03237P
Location Sterling, VA: 20164
Full or Part Time Full Time

Horticulturist To support the Horticulture Technology Program and maintain its classrooms/laboratories, greenhouse, teaching areas and other facilities.

TREE Fund Scholarships – TREE Fund

The NVCC Horticulture Club and Program sends congratulations to one of our Landscape Design students for winning the $5000 Robert Felix Memorial Scholarship which supports college students studying arboriculture, urban forestry or related fields with the intention of entering arboriculture!

If you are working on your horticulture related degree check out and apply for TREE Fund Scholarships at
https://treefund.org/scholarships

TREE Fund Scholarships – TREE Fund TREE Fund Scholarships TREE Fund offers scholarships for undergraduate students who aspire to careers in arboriculture, urban forestry and related fields. All 2019 active scholarship programs are listed below. Before applying for any scholarship, carefully read the guidelines provided in the “Read...

https://www.facebook.com/139659846368/posts/10157271786796369/

Happy !

From providing beekeeping basics to sharing tips on gardening for bees, to teaching kids the importance of precious pollinators like the honeybee, we're all about bees! Check out bee-related resources from Virginia Cooperative Extension: http://bit.ly/2WUBzX7

Here's another native plant sale! https://www.facebook.com/135980113125332/posts/2290714080985247/?sfnsn=xmmo

Get your wagons ready... it's plant sale time! We already have over 2,000 plants for the sale, including:
- Shenandoah Valley Native Plants
- Virginia Native Plants
- Plants for beneficial pollinators
- Unique trees and shrubs
- Drought tolerant and deer "resistant" plants
- Instant pollinator patch 6-packs
- And a lot more!

The Master Gardener Plant Sale begins when GardenFest opens at 8:00 a.m. No charge for parking or admission.

Arrive early for the best selection -- there's usually a line -- and feel free to bring your own wagon (we'll also have wagons for you). Follow us here for more plant information and our final plant list.

See GardenFest details at: https://www.facebook.com/events/372243870002207/

Learn more below about the pictured, clockwise from top left,
1) Slender Mountain Mint (Pycnanthemum tenuifolium): https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/all/pycnanthemum-tenuifolium/
2) Stonecrop (Hylotelephium 'Herbstfreude' AUTUMN JOY; formerly Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’) https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/all/sedum-autumn-joy/
3) Purple New England Aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae): https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/all/symphyotrichum-novae-angliae/
4) Brown Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia triloba): https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/all/rudbeckia-triloba/