MASTER GARDENERS IN ACTION

It was a busy weekend for some Pitt County Master Gardeners.

Carol T. led a Pollinator Tour at the Arboretum.

 

 Ann H., Elaine S., Karen H., and Knox C. were at ECU Earth Day 2016.

The theme of their display was “Thriving on Low Maintenance and Low Water.”

 

 

***Additionally, all NC Master Gardeners were recently recognized and thanked for their 2015 contributions:  STATEWIDE:  "4,300 volunteers with a 2015 total of 197,193 hours volunteered across the state with in-kind donations of $1,623,193! "

WHAT'S IN BLOOM

Heading up our list of fragrant blooms has to be the Boomerang Lilac shrub (Syringa x 'Penda') blooming in our Mixed Border.  It is a low maintenance shrub with few insect and disease problems. It attracts hummingbirds, butterflies, and people!  It also reblooms. Below are pictures of a few other plants of interest this week at the Arboretum.

Photos by M. Endres

#1 Dicentra spectabilis - Japanese Bleeding Heart

#2 Lonicera japonica - Japanese Honeysuckle

#3 Camellia japonica

#4 Pittosporum tobira 'Tall 'N' Tough

#5 Salvia x sylvestris ' Mainacht' - Maynight Salvia

#6 Narcissus - Daffodils

#7 Dianthus gratianopolitanus - Barb's Cheddar Pink

#8 Cilantro

#9 Monarda - Beebalm

#10  Boomerang Lilac highlighted above

OUR MONARCH PROJECT

Several weeks back was a post about our planting Asclepias syriaca and Asclepias incarnata seeds in plastic jugs.  Once they formed their first true leaves, they were plucked from the jugs and potted up.  They are on their way to growing into the host plant for our monarchs.  We hope some warm weather will encourage more growth so we will have some great plants ready for our  MAY 14th PLANT SALE (click on flyer above).

WHAT'S IN BLOOM?

Well, not really in 'bloom', but popping up all over the Arboretum Gardens.   It is our new plant tags!  Hours of research went into finding the best tag system, the correct plant scientific and common names, and whether they were native plants.  A big thank you to Pat P. for her wonderful organization skills in pulling this together.  Also thanks to Ann L. for her creation of our plant database.  The curators assembled signs today and are putting them in place.  The entire project was possible with the support of our Friends of the Arboretum.