Gardening--All You Need is ONLINE!

Gardening Online: A Bounty of Connections for You!

Posted on March 20, 2020 | Leave a comment

Contributor: Peg Riccio
Pegplant.com
Cherie Lejeune, President NCA

Although we may be home during the day, the absence of a commute, errands, and basically a social life, grants us more time than before. Plant lovers and gardeners can take advantage of this to learn about gardening online in the Washington DC metro area.  Below is a sample of resources for webinars, videos, and online courses. No doubt, there are more; e-mail me if you know of virtual methods for learning about gardening at pegplant at gmail dot com. I may even post an addendum if we find ourselves social distancing for an extended period. This list is in no order; some are free videos while others require registration and payment. 

National Capital Area Garden Clubs, Inc now has a Youtube Channel and President Cherie says more content will be added from the many archived videos she and others have compiled,  over the last few years.
Upcoming will be live-streamed presentations. For example, The STATE meeting that was to be held at Glenstone on April 7th will be Live-Streamed with Paul Tukey, their Sustainability Director, directly on the Glenstone Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/glenstonemuseum/
The details will become available through the club Presidents.
NCAGC's Youtube channel (thank you in advance for subscribing):
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCenSGW5BqMhwms9RCzR8P4w?
(this URL will get shorter once there are 100 views!)  ,
Also National Garden Clubs Facebook page will host live-stream material too: https://www.facebook.com/NCAGC/   And yes, please like this page too!

So PegPlant recommendations:

YouTube, Good Gardening Videos has more than 1,000 gardening videos curated for accuracy and quality. This is a non-profit, ad-free educational campaign to find and promote evidence-based gardening videos and to help more accurate ones be made.

Laura LeBoutillier is the Youtube and Facebook:  “Garden Answer.”
Laura has produced many videos on gardening as well as do-it-yourself projects, which are free to watch. She and her husband started filming gardening videos as a hobby and have become so successful they manage Garden Answer as a full time business. She has partnered with companies such as Proven Winners, Espoma, Gardener’s Supply Company, and Bonide so you will often see her promote products on her shows.  Although she lives to the west in zone 5 most of her videos are applicable to this area.

Another familiar face on Facebook is Philadelphian Doug Oster who has created the Everybody Gardens website and has produced the “In the Garden” video series on YouTube. He is a prolific writer, filmmaker, and author and he also has a radio show. Doug frequently appears on Pittsburgh Today Live Television show as their local garden expert.

For those who know P. Allen Smith  ,  has produced so many videos that if you enter his name on YouTube you will see short vlogs, longer videos, and even full-length television shows. Plus, he produces a digital magazine called Naturally Magazine (I view mine on Issuu). When this is over I would love to visit Moss Mountain Farm.

Kerry Ann Mendez of Perennially Yours in Maine is a well-known garden speaker, author, and garden designer. She has a beautiful website, listing many webinars. On YouTube there is a video of her giving a presentation to an audience called “Growing Honkin’ Hydrangeas in the Northeast.”

Lisa Mason Ziegler, owner of the The Gardener’s Workshop in Newport News, VA, manages a very successful cut flower farm. She has written several books, gives presentations (including in the Northern Virginia area), and has produced online courses for seed starting, cut flowers, cool flowers, and flower farming. She is queen of cool flowers and for her books she has produced videos where she discusses each chapter and answers questions. You will often see her on Facebook Live.

Charlie Nardozzi is a well-known garden expert, he has published books, gives presentations, provides garden tours, and produces a library of on demand webinars at his website Gardening with Charlie Nardozzi. Topics include small space edible gardening, cottage gardening, native and invasive plants, organic pest control, and pollinator gardening. Charlie also publishes a free, informative newsletter. He lives in Vermont and I would love to hear him speak if he ever travels to this area.

The Ecological Landscape Alliance is a New Hampshire membership-based organization with a mission of promoting sustainable approaches to landscape design, construction, and management. They host events, some of which are near this area, and distribute a newsletter. Many of their webinars are suitable for home gardeners. For example, there will be a one-hour webinar on protecting pollinators for $10 for non-members or free for members, but some webinars are free.

Bluprint which used to be Craftsy, has popular garden figures such as Ellen Ecker Ogden, Karen Chapman, David Culp, Debra Lee Baldwin, and Jodi Torpey. They provide online courses for which you  must register and pay for on the Bluprint website but if you like their topic or their style you should check out their own websites.

Pith and Vigor Rochelle Greayer is a designer in Boston who has an online course called Garden Design Bootcamp and one called Planting Design Bootcamp. From her website, it looks like she may be producing additional ones. She has published a book and publishes a digital newspaper type of publication.

Karen Chapman is a garden speaker, author, and designer in the State of Washington. I have heard her speak in this area and she is an excellent speaker. She is a container guru with many online courses on creating beautiful containers. Karen has just published a book on deer resistant designs and has a webinar on this topic on her website Le Jardinet.

This list and connections should keep you engaged even if homebound for several months...and, we know that doesn't even account for tending to our own gardens no matter how large or small. The good news those hours deliver fresh air and (mostly) sunshine.

You are in our thoughts..stay well. 

You Are Cordially Invited to A Standard Flower Show on November 4 & 5, 2017! Free and open to the public!

  

 Hi all!  The purpose of an NGC  National Garden Clubs, Inc.) flower show is: to educate club members and the viewing public; to stimulate interest in horticulture and floral design; to provide an outlet for creative expression; and to communicate NGC goals and objectives. 

I am pleased to announce National Capital Area Garden Clubs' District IV is hosting a flower show!  It will feature chrysanthemums and SO MUCH MORE!  This is a flower show not to be missed!

Hope to see you all there!

Presented By

DISTRICT IV

National Capital Area Garden Cubs, Inc.

Bountiful Harvest

An NGC Flower Show

 A Standard Flower Show

 Brookside Gardens

1800 Glenallen Avenue

 Wheaton, Maryland 20902

301-962-1400 

Free and Open to the Public

  

Saturday, November 4, 1:30 – 5:00 p. m

Sunday, November 5, 9:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. 

Member of National Garden Clubs, Inc.

Central Atlantic Region of State Garden Clubs, Inc.

National Capital Area Garden Clubs, Inc.

Entries open to Members of the

District IV Garden Clubs

And by Invitation

You Are Cordially Invited to a Small Standard Flower Show! Saturday, August 20, 2016

You are cordially invited to the last flower show event  in NCAGC this summer!

What's really special about NCAGC DIII Director Jane Smith's District III garden clubs (serving communities in the northern Virginia area), is that they are hosting a wonderful flower show on Saturday, August 20, 2016 in conjunction with Historic Vienna, Virginia,  that has sections open to the public.  So if you've been growing tomatoes, squash, fruits and vegetables, select your finest, prettiest and plumpest specimens and come enter for competition.  Is there a junior gardener in your family? Children are welcome to compete their horticultural specimens, too!  There's something for everyone so bring the family.

And here's the  District III Small Standard Flower How "Schedule." - For those of your unfamiliar with flower show terminology, a 'schedule' is every detail and rule pertaining to a specific flower show.  Specific rules for a flower show where a non-garden club person might enter give you direction on preparing your horticulture specimens for judging.  Make sure you take ripeness, color, shape and size into consideration. You may want to bring several specimens for the judges to inspect. So do be sure to read the schedule carefully.  

Flower Show Season - A Gift to Everyone

Thea here.  Today I'm celebrating garden club flower shows.  I took these pictures on my phone so it's strictly amateur hour, but here are some of my favorite shots from flower shows I attended, including District II's Standard Flower Show, District I's Small Standard Show, and Rock Spring Garden Club (that's MY club, BTW) -

Multi Rhythmic Design by Jane Smith

National Capital Area Garden Club's membership did an outstanding job hosting Small Standard and Standard Flower Shows over the last few months.  Each District has hosted a flower show within the last year, and District III will host a small standard flower show this coming August.

Monarch educational exhibit

I cannot emphasize enough the purposes of a Standard Flower Show:  to EDUCATE club members and the viewing public; to stimulate interest in horticulture and floral design; to provide an outlet for creative expression; to convey to the community objectives of National Garden Clubs, Inc..

Having attended and participated in my own club's hosting, and entering horticulture and floral designs and educational exhibits for competition, I have learned so much, made many new friends, and, well, I had a blast!

My buddy, Joan, working and having fun

I truly believe the most important part is having our flower shows open to the PUBLIC.

Club Member, John, discussing his award winning flower show specimens with guests

 I cannot think of a better way to let people know that there are active, thriving and interesting people working, learning and sharing information that promotes gardening, highlights environmental concerns, promotes beautification in their communities, partners with schools and other civic organizations, and provides a way to continue your journey of life long learning.

Hi Renee! friends working together

Horticulture specimens ready for judging

Very creative staging by Mary Cottrell

Poss Tarpley's award winning creative design

Having a garden club organization invested in your community is a blessing.  Feel free to contact me if you are interested in joining a club in your area.

District I  small standard flower show top award displays for horticulture

Flower Shows In the Month of June in National Capital Area - And You are all Invited!

Spring and early Summer are quite popular times for garden clubs in National Capital Area Garden Clubs to host a Standard or Small Standard Flower Show.  Many people ask what exactly is a standard flower show and here is it's definition:

The purposes of a Standard Flower Show:  to educate club members and viewing public. To stimulate interest in horticulture and floral design. To provide an outlet for creative expression. To convey to the community objectives of National Garden Clubs, Inc.

We are pleased to announce three flower shows that will happen in the month of June - and they are NOT to be missed!

Vienna, Virginia's Five Hills Garden Club is hosting with Meadowlark Gardens a Standard Flower Show, "A Walk in the Garden" on Thursday, June 7, 2016.  This show is free and open to the public from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. in Meadowlark Garden's Atrium Building, 9750 Meadowlark Gardens Court, Vienna, Virginia (near Wolf Trap and Route 7).  Five Hills Garden Club is a member of National Capital Area Garden Clubs' District III (Northern Virginia).

Then, on Saturday, June 11, 2016, National Capital Area Garden Clubs' District I is hosting a Small Standard Flower Show, "Summer Serenade," at 12325 Hatton Point Road, Fort Washington, MD.  This sure-to-be wonderful show is free and open to the public from 2:30 - 4:00p.m.  

And to finish off the splendid month, District IV is hosting a Standard Flower Show, "Yankee Doodle Dandy," at the Strathmore Mansion, Rockville Pike, Rockville MD, that is free and open to the public on Thursday, June 23, 2016 from 1:00 - 4:00 p.m.; and on Friday, June 24, 2016 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.  

Do come and see one  or all of our exciting garden club events this month!  

4 Fabulous Reasons to Visit the U.S. National Arboretum: Eaglets, Cherry Blossoms, Arbor House and Ikebana!

That's right! Eaglets, cherry blossoms, Arbor House and Ikebana! And that's just the start of the U.S. National Arboretum's Spring Season!

Planning to come into D.C. in the coming weeks for some eaglets? Cherry blossoms?  Then plan a morning or afternoon at the U.S. National Arboretum, a garden delight right here in our National Capital Area Garden Clubs region!  Bring your wife, husband, children, grandchildren, and friends!

I'm sure you've heard about two bald eaglets hatching at the arboretum - real time cameras in the lobby let us know what's going on with the new family.

There's something breathtaking about raining pink and white petals of cherry blossoms against blue skies. And if the Tidal Basin is too crowded but you don't want to miss peak blossom time, our U.S. National Arboretum has a wonderful, wide range of flowering cherries.  Take their self-guided tour introducing other great flowering cherry trees.

And do plan to visit our National Capital Area Garden Club's gift shop, ARBOR HOUSE, right across from the Arboretum's parking lot and entrance for a lovely selection of gifts, books, garden products, items  and toys for junior gardeners and so much more.

And beginning April 1 through April 17, a wonderful exhibition by Ikebana International.  Do be sure to visit the Arboretum's incredible bonsai collection and gardens and landscapes. There's so much to see at the U.S. National Arboretum.

For more information on the U.S. National Arboretum, 3501 New York Avenue, NE, Washington, DC 20002  202-245-2726, and visit their website at www.usna.usda.gov

For more information about National Capital Area Garden Clubs' activities, including our            Arbor House Gift Shop, visit our website at www.ncagardenclubs.org

National Garden Club Schools - Shedding Light On A Lifetime of Learning - Thea McGinnis

National Garden Clubs'  (NGC) mission is to provide education, resources, and national networking opportunities for its members to promote the love of gardening, floral design, and civic and environmental responsibility.

Members are privileged to have NGC schools available to encourage our personal life long passion and learning endeavors.  NGC schools include Gardening Studies, Environmental Studies, Landscape Design and Flower Show.

NGC schools offer challenging and rigorous curriculum to their students.  Each school consists of four courses, with expert instructors and speakers addressing topics and key areas of each subject category.  Completion of the four courses for a particular course, plus testing, lead to NGC Consultant certification or accredition as a Flower Show Judge.  So, why am I telling you this?

Dorthy Yard 

On a gloriously sunny day this past November, I attended Flower Show School (Course II) and found it exceptionally challenging - yet fascinating and exciting.  Our  Flower Show School instructors are both accredited Master Flower Show Judges. Dorthy Yard from Pennsylvania and Janice Hamlin from Florida, travel around the country to lecture, guide and show students the various aspects of judging horticulture specimens and floral designs.

Arlene Stewart weighing the qualities of her needled specimen

Students evaluating specimens. Robin Hammer examines evergreen foliage

 We were thoroughly instructed on Course II level Flower Show Procedure -We learned about growing, designing, staging, exhibiting as well as judging, based on specific qualifications and guidelines encapsulated in NGC's Handbook for Flower Shows.

Instruction included judging the condition, grooming and staging of plant material

 In addition to our wonderful instructors, a host of National Capital Area Garden Club (NCAGC) judges joined our activities and provided designs to simulate a flower show, for student evaluation, practice and test judging. Their designs varied -  from NGC Traditional designs to Creative design styles.

Babs McClendon, NCAGC FS Judge, giving students design advice

The Design portion of the curriculum reviewed the Elements of Design, creative and traditional design techniques, the designer's frame of reference, using the color wheel, and the six Principles of Design. Every aspect of a design is touched upon so that we can begin to learn to train our eyes in evaluating  qualities such as conformance and design principals of balance, rhythm, scale, contrast, dominance and proportion. Selection and organization of components are important. And most important - Distinction - because this is where the designer's creativity and superiority in all respects is revealed.

Note how lighting, background and underlayemphasize different aspects of the designs 

The dynamic balance of Creative designs challenge your imagination 

Unique Creative designs using unusual dried plant materials such as gourds

The students I attended Flower Show School with found the challenges within the course rewarding. It was wonderful to meet garden club members from other regions who traveled to attend. New friendships were forged as we worked together. I cannot thank Dorthy and Janice enough for their incredible patience and generosity and I'm very grateful for NCAGC's Judges' Council for conducting this course.  Seriously, folks. Everyone should attend this school or any of the other three NGC courses.

Accredited Master Judges Poss Tarpley, FSS Course Registrar (l) and
(r) Sandi Smith Piccirillo, State Flower Show Chairman for National Capital Area Garden Clubs, Inc.

If you are interested in more information about joining a garden club or attending an NGC school, leave us a comment or please click here-->  National Garden Clubs, Inc. website

National Garden Clubs continues to set the direction for American floral designing and raise the bar for both exhibitors and judges. May we use the information presented to us in this book as we continue to educate both our members and the public in floral design, horticulture and NGC objectives. "Embrace Gardening's Tapestry" Kitty Larkin, President, 2005-2007, National Garden Clubs, Inc. - from the Handbook for Flower Shows 2007 Revised Edition

Photography by Thea McGinnis