Dear LDG Community,
I’m writing to share an important update about our upcoming event
I’m writing to share an important update about our upcoming event
Native Plants and Their Insect Allies,
scheduled for Thursday, January 29th at 7PM
Due to due to winter weather and unsafe travel conditions in some areas, we will be moving the program to a virtual format. The in‑person session at the McLean Community Center will no longer take place.
We are still very excited to welcome our speakers:
- Maddie Bright, Executive Director at Earth Sangha
- Elaine Mills, Master Gardeners & Gardens MGNV
They will deliver the full lecture online, and we hope this virtual option makes it easy for everyone to join us.
Please follow this Zoom link to join the event:
https://us05web.zoom.us/j/82989508202?pwd=AgMnyktc5yS4wIHD7241fN5Ez9sc7Y.1
Meeting ID: 829 8950 8202
Passcode: 105923
Thank you for your flexibility, and we look forward to seeing you online tomorrow evening.
Warm regards,
Tony Weaver
LDG President
invites you to...
native plants & their insect allies,
a lecture by
Maddie Bright,
Executive Director at Earth Sangha and
Elaine Mills,
Master Gardeners & Gardens MGNV
January 29th, 2026
7:00 PM
McLean Community Center
1234 Ingleside Ave
McLean, VA 22101
Maddie Bright,
Executive Director at Earth Sangha and
Elaine Mills,
Master Gardeners & Gardens MGNV
January 29th, 2026
7:00 PM
McLean Community Center
1234 Ingleside Ave
McLean, VA 22101
Maddie will discuss the interaction between insects and native plants, specifically local ecotype natives.
Elaine will discuss using high-value Virginia native plants in a garden landscape.
Maddie Bright is the Executive Director at Earth Sangha where she has worked full-time on native plant conservation since 2011, and where she grew up as the daughter of co-founders Lisa and Chris Bright. Maddie has worked closely with ecologists, botanists, and park managers across the Northern Virginia region on plant conservation and ecological restoration projects over the years, including a brief stint interning at Huntley Meadows Park. She regularly teaches for the Arlington Regional Master Naturalist chapter and serves on the steering committee for the National Capitol Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management. Before starting at the Sangha, Maddie graduated from Kenyon college with a BA in History and spent four years as a firefighter and Emergency Medical Technician with the College Township Fire Department in Gambier, Ohio.
Elaine Mills trained as a Master Gardener in 2012, and her first volunteer hours were spent as a proctor for a series of workshops on sustainable gardening. She went on to create the first set of 100 fact sheets on "Tried and True Native Plants" as well as sheets on invasive plants that are now posted on the website for Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia. Over the past five years, she has given over 25 different public education presentations on native plants, especially as substitutes for invasive plants, and she is an active member of the MGNV Social Media Committee, writing articles for the website and creating several series of weekly educational posts for Facebook, Instagram, and Bluesky. She has spent 13 years photographing native plants in local public and private gardens and enjoys selecting pictures from her photo library to illustrate her talks, articles, and posts. In addition, she is a past longtime lead coordinator for the Glencarlyn Library Demonstration Garden in Arlington and is the current chair of the MGNV Public Education Committee.
We hope you see you there!
Tony Weaver
LDG President
Elaine will discuss using high-value Virginia native plants in a garden landscape.
Maddie Bright is the Executive Director at Earth Sangha where she has worked full-time on native plant conservation since 2011, and where she grew up as the daughter of co-founders Lisa and Chris Bright. Maddie has worked closely with ecologists, botanists, and park managers across the Northern Virginia region on plant conservation and ecological restoration projects over the years, including a brief stint interning at Huntley Meadows Park. She regularly teaches for the Arlington Regional Master Naturalist chapter and serves on the steering committee for the National Capitol Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management. Before starting at the Sangha, Maddie graduated from Kenyon college with a BA in History and spent four years as a firefighter and Emergency Medical Technician with the College Township Fire Department in Gambier, Ohio.
Elaine Mills trained as a Master Gardener in 2012, and her first volunteer hours were spent as a proctor for a series of workshops on sustainable gardening. She went on to create the first set of 100 fact sheets on "Tried and True Native Plants" as well as sheets on invasive plants that are now posted on the website for Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia. Over the past five years, she has given over 25 different public education presentations on native plants, especially as substitutes for invasive plants, and she is an active member of the MGNV Social Media Committee, writing articles for the website and creating several series of weekly educational posts for Facebook, Instagram, and Bluesky. She has spent 13 years photographing native plants in local public and private gardens and enjoys selecting pictures from her photo library to illustrate her talks, articles, and posts. In addition, she is a past longtime lead coordinator for the Glencarlyn Library Demonstration Garden in Arlington and is the current chair of the MGNV Public Education Committee.
We hope you see you there!
Tony Weaver
LDG President
Please RSVP to
[email protected]
[email protected]
Landscape Designers’ Group
invites you to...
invites you to...
Annual Potluck and Board Meeting
Thursday, December 4th, 2025
7:00 – 9:00 PM
at the home of Tony Weaver,
2903 S Woodley St, Unit H
Arlington, VA 22206
7:00 – 9:00 PM
at the home of Tony Weaver,
2903 S Woodley St, Unit H
Arlington, VA 22206
Dear LDG Members,
We invite you to annual potluck gathering which will be held at my home. Bring a dish to share, swap fun stories from recent projects, and exchange fresh ideas in landscape design. We look forward to enjoying this special time with you!
Tony Weaver
LDG President
We invite you to annual potluck gathering which will be held at my home. Bring a dish to share, swap fun stories from recent projects, and exchange fresh ideas in landscape design. We look forward to enjoying this special time with you!
Tony Weaver
LDG President
The board meeting will be at 7pm and the potluck at 7:30pm.
(All members are welcome to sit in at the board meeting if they choose so).
Please sign up your dish here:
LDG Potluck Dish Signup
AND
RSVP to: [email protected]
(All members are welcome to sit in at the board meeting if they choose so).
Please sign up your dish here:
LDG Potluck Dish Signup
AND
RSVP to: [email protected]
Recap of LDG Glenstone Museum Visit on 9/6/25
Many of us have strolled the magnificent meadows and woodlands of the Glenstone museum in Potomac, wondering in the back of our landscape-designer minds about the design, installation and maintenance challenges of that space. On September 6, Glenstone Grounds Superintendent Matt Partain pulled back that curtain for a group of 15 or so rapt LDG members.
On a two-hour tour, Partain explained how, in practical terms, the Glenstone landscapes seek to immerse visitors in a seamless convergence of art, nature and architecture. “Everything is intentional,” he noted: the crunch of gravel in the tree-themed parking lots, the use of natural materials and lighting in buildings, the progression of plant palettes throughout the property, the placement of trees, the casting of shadows.
At the same time, according to Partain, the landscaping crew is constantly learning and experimenting. Given the museum’s commitment to native plants and organic methods, their primary struggles are with invasives. As of early September, the most visible culprit was Japanese stiltgrass (which gets hand-pulled in some of the more visible areas). They are learning, through trial and error, which plants are really deer-resistant (shoutouts to American beautyberry, bottlebrush buckeye and doghobble, among many other shrub and perennial species.) They also grapple with preventing meadows from reverting to woodlands (sycamore seedlings are apparently quite persistent). One hypothesis they’re testing is that compacted soil might actually give native plants an advantage over their competitors.
It was a rare treat to experience the beauty of Glenstone while learning about the landscape’s inner workings. We’re grateful to Partain and the museum for hosting LDG on such an inspiring and educational tour.
Lolly Jewett
Principal
Bees' Knees Design
On a two-hour tour, Partain explained how, in practical terms, the Glenstone landscapes seek to immerse visitors in a seamless convergence of art, nature and architecture. “Everything is intentional,” he noted: the crunch of gravel in the tree-themed parking lots, the use of natural materials and lighting in buildings, the progression of plant palettes throughout the property, the placement of trees, the casting of shadows.
At the same time, according to Partain, the landscaping crew is constantly learning and experimenting. Given the museum’s commitment to native plants and organic methods, their primary struggles are with invasives. As of early September, the most visible culprit was Japanese stiltgrass (which gets hand-pulled in some of the more visible areas). They are learning, through trial and error, which plants are really deer-resistant (shoutouts to American beautyberry, bottlebrush buckeye and doghobble, among many other shrub and perennial species.) They also grapple with preventing meadows from reverting to woodlands (sycamore seedlings are apparently quite persistent). One hypothesis they’re testing is that compacted soil might actually give native plants an advantage over their competitors.
It was a rare treat to experience the beauty of Glenstone while learning about the landscape’s inner workings. We’re grateful to Partain and the museum for hosting LDG on such an inspiring and educational tour.
Lolly Jewett
Principal
Bees' Knees Design
invites you to...
Glenstone Museum
September 6, 2025
10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
12100 Glen Road
Potomac, MD 20854
10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
12100 Glen Road
Potomac, MD 20854
Glenstone Landscape Superintendent Matt Partain will lead us on a guided tour of the museum’s grounds.
Glenstone describes itself as “a place that seamlessly integrates art, architecture, and nature into a serene and contemplative environment.” It offers nearly 300 acres of landscape woven through the museum’s architecture and art. The landscape includes paths, trails, streams, meadows, forests and outdoor sculptures.
We’ll focus particular attention on ongoing stream restoration efforts. Following the 90-minute – two-hour walk-and-talk, you’ll be welcome to explore the gardens, art pavilions and cafes on your own until closing at 5pm. This is a special opportunity organized exclusively for the Landscape Designers Group!
Tony Weaver
LDG President
Glenstone describes itself as “a place that seamlessly integrates art, architecture, and nature into a serene and contemplative environment.” It offers nearly 300 acres of landscape woven through the museum’s architecture and art. The landscape includes paths, trails, streams, meadows, forests and outdoor sculptures.
We’ll focus particular attention on ongoing stream restoration efforts. Following the 90-minute – two-hour walk-and-talk, you’ll be welcome to explore the gardens, art pavilions and cafes on your own until closing at 5pm. This is a special opportunity organized exclusively for the Landscape Designers Group!
Tony Weaver
LDG President
Please RSVP to
[email protected]
[email protected]
invites you to...
spring garden tour
May 10, 2025
11:00 AM - 1:00 PM
3062 N. Quincy Street
Arlington, VA 22207
11:00 AM - 1:00 PM
3062 N. Quincy Street
Arlington, VA 22207
Featuring two gardens that are developed and implemented by
Julie Hawley, exemplifying 20+ years of care;
Julie Hawley, exemplifying 20+ years of care;
- Native planting example of 70% native, 30% non-native plants
- Wildlife supporting; potentially 2,500 butterfly/moth/bee pollinators plus birds/animals
- Representing local ecotypes; Piedmont and Coastal Plain
- Grass reduced to represent local plant communities; woodland, meadow, streamside
- Front yard converted to vegetable gardening
- Asphalt Driveway converted to gravel for stormwater percolation
- Rain barrel stormwater harvesting
Linda Carney used Julie's home as her George Washington master's project. Her drawings will be on display along with many documents regarding the ecological choices Julie made to represent this area.
RSVP LDG members for complimentary box lunch included following tour.
RSVP LDG members for complimentary box lunch included following tour.
Tony Weaver
LDG President
LDG President
Please RSVP to
[email protected]
[email protected]
IRRIGATION DESIGN and
IMPLEMENTATION
March 4th, 2025
7:00 PM – 9:00 PM
McLean Community Center
1234 Ingleside Ave
McLean, VA 22101
SPEAKERS: Doran Buppert & Lisa Eppley-Pelusi
7:00 PM – 9:00 PM
McLean Community Center
1234 Ingleside Ave
McLean, VA 22101
SPEAKERS: Doran Buppert & Lisa Eppley-Pelusi
Doran Buppert, owner of Velocity Underground LLC, will present an overview of irrigation:
- The basics of irrigation and how it works
- Things to consider before an irrigation installation
- The workflow: installation process, planning and coordinating
- Different types of systems for specific applications
- Newer technology and Wi-Fi access for remote monitoring
- Procedures for maintaining an irrigation system and its efficiency
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Doran Buppert, Velocity Underground, LLC
Meet Doran Buppert, an irrigation contractor and the Owner of Velocity Underground, where he manages all aspects of irrigation installation and maintenance. With over 20 years of hands-on experience in the industry, he has a wealth of knowledge about how irrigation has grown and changed over the years. He understands the vital role that proper and efficient irrigation plays in helping landscapes thrive. Additionally, Doran is a Certified Irrigation Professional with the Irrigation Association, underscoring his commitment to excellence and continuous improvement in his field.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lisa Eppley-Pelusi, Mud Stew Modern
Mud Stew Modern specializes in landscape objects and curated outdoor living elements while offering an online marketplace blending the talents of landscape architects, designers, artists, and contractors. Whether working with industry collaborators, business owners, homeowners, or realtors, their consultation services provide guidance through the entire outdoor site furnishing procurement process, from initial concepts to final placement. The Mud Stew Modern Marketplace is a collective combining repurposed, reproduced, and time-tested modern innovations in landscape object design. MSM is 2025 new and is looking to build a community, an online selection of customized landscape objects, and to be a resourceful hub for this niche market need in the DMV area.
Lisa Eppley-Pelusi is passionate about supporting and advocating for designers, users, artists, and manufacturers who create beautiful spaces and thoughtfully curated objects that complete them. A graduate of Penn State’s Landscape Architecture program, Lisa spent over a decade honing her skills in landscape architecture and urban planning with renowned global firms such as EDAW and AECOM. Her creative and technical expertise eventually led her to explore small business photography and wall gallery design. Through her venture, Mud Stew Photography and Design, she artfully blended personal connections to outdoor spaces with curated home displays, incorporating professional photography, children’s artwork, and vintage family photos. Throughout her career, Lisa has collaborated with vendors and award-winning design firms across the Baltimore, Annapolis, and DC areas.
Tony Weaver
LDG President
Doran Buppert, Velocity Underground, LLC
Meet Doran Buppert, an irrigation contractor and the Owner of Velocity Underground, where he manages all aspects of irrigation installation and maintenance. With over 20 years of hands-on experience in the industry, he has a wealth of knowledge about how irrigation has grown and changed over the years. He understands the vital role that proper and efficient irrigation plays in helping landscapes thrive. Additionally, Doran is a Certified Irrigation Professional with the Irrigation Association, underscoring his commitment to excellence and continuous improvement in his field.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lisa Eppley-Pelusi, Mud Stew Modern
Mud Stew Modern specializes in landscape objects and curated outdoor living elements while offering an online marketplace blending the talents of landscape architects, designers, artists, and contractors. Whether working with industry collaborators, business owners, homeowners, or realtors, their consultation services provide guidance through the entire outdoor site furnishing procurement process, from initial concepts to final placement. The Mud Stew Modern Marketplace is a collective combining repurposed, reproduced, and time-tested modern innovations in landscape object design. MSM is 2025 new and is looking to build a community, an online selection of customized landscape objects, and to be a resourceful hub for this niche market need in the DMV area.
Lisa Eppley-Pelusi is passionate about supporting and advocating for designers, users, artists, and manufacturers who create beautiful spaces and thoughtfully curated objects that complete them. A graduate of Penn State’s Landscape Architecture program, Lisa spent over a decade honing her skills in landscape architecture and urban planning with renowned global firms such as EDAW and AECOM. Her creative and technical expertise eventually led her to explore small business photography and wall gallery design. Through her venture, Mud Stew Photography and Design, she artfully blended personal connections to outdoor spaces with curated home displays, incorporating professional photography, children’s artwork, and vintage family photos. Throughout her career, Lisa has collaborated with vendors and award-winning design firms across the Baltimore, Annapolis, and DC areas.
Tony Weaver
LDG President
Please RSVP to
[email protected]
[email protected]
our February LDG event Masonry Design with Richard Baker
had a great turnout!
If you have any additional questions for Richard, feel free to shoot him an email at
[email protected].
If you have any additional questions for Richard, feel free to shoot him an email at
[email protected].
Hope to see you all at the March event!
MASONRY DESIGN
Thursday, February 13
7:00 - 9:00 PM
McLean Community Center
1234 Ingleside Ave
McLean, VA 22101
Richard Baker reviews 45 years Of King’s Masons’ favorite projects
7:00 - 9:00 PM
McLean Community Center
1234 Ingleside Ave
McLean, VA 22101
Richard Baker reviews 45 years Of King’s Masons’ favorite projects
The program will include an opportunity to meet new members, enjoy some snacks and learn more about the challenges and successes of a respected long-standing masonry company. There will be many photos in addition to plenty of time for Q&As.
Tony Weaver
LDG President
Please RSVP to
[email protected]
NB! APLD is hosting Winter Lecture with Fergus Garrett on
Wednesday, March 12th.
Link for details:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/apld-annual-winter-landscape-design-lecture-with-fergus-garrett-tickets-1228032952619?aff=oddtdtcreator
[email protected]
NB! APLD is hosting Winter Lecture with Fergus Garrett on
Wednesday, March 12th.
Link for details:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/apld-annual-winter-landscape-design-lecture-with-fergus-garrett-tickets-1228032952619?aff=oddtdtcreator
Below is an overview of the plans and events for the 2025 LDG year. All members of the board are invited and encouraged to attend. Please also note that we are actively recruiting both board members and committee members. If you have enjoyed being a member of LDG and wish to participate, please reach out to me directly at [email protected]. The lift is relatively light, and it is super fun! Please also note that starting in 2025, our membership fee will increase to $79 to keep up with the cost of inflation.
Tony Weaver
LDG President
MARCH 4th, 7 - 9PM
Introduction to Irrigation: What Designers Need to Know…
Lecture by Doran Buppert (Velocity Underground, LLC)
McClean Community Center
1234 Ingleside Ave, McLean, VA 22101
APRIL 5th, 12PM
East Potomac Mini Golf Revitalization Project
Picnic Lunch, Lecture, Site Tour Featuring Moody Graham Landscape Architects & White Pearl Management
East Potomac Mini Golf
972 Ohio Dr SW, Washington, DC 20024
MAY 10th, 11AM
Garden Tour: Featuring Three Residential Properties:
Focus on Native Plants, Stormwater Management, Permeable Pavement
3062 N. Quincy Garden, Arlington, VA 22207
JUNE - Date TBD
Garden Tour: Historic London Town & Gardens
839 Londontown Road, Edgewater, MD 21037
SEPTEMBER 6th, 10AM
Grounds Tour: Stream Restoration Efforts
Guided by Matt Partain, Landscape Superintendent at Glenstone
After tour participants will be free to enjoy the grounds, cafes and exhibits until closing.
Glenstone
12100 Glen Rd, Potomac, MD 20854
NOVEMBER 11th - Location and Time TBD
Annual Potluck
Tony Weaver
LDG President
MARCH 4th, 7 - 9PM
Introduction to Irrigation: What Designers Need to Know…
Lecture by Doran Buppert (Velocity Underground, LLC)
McClean Community Center
1234 Ingleside Ave, McLean, VA 22101
APRIL 5th, 12PM
East Potomac Mini Golf Revitalization Project
Picnic Lunch, Lecture, Site Tour Featuring Moody Graham Landscape Architects & White Pearl Management
East Potomac Mini Golf
972 Ohio Dr SW, Washington, DC 20024
MAY 10th, 11AM
Garden Tour: Featuring Three Residential Properties:
Focus on Native Plants, Stormwater Management, Permeable Pavement
3062 N. Quincy Garden, Arlington, VA 22207
JUNE - Date TBD
Garden Tour: Historic London Town & Gardens
839 Londontown Road, Edgewater, MD 21037
SEPTEMBER 6th, 10AM
Grounds Tour: Stream Restoration Efforts
Guided by Matt Partain, Landscape Superintendent at Glenstone
After tour participants will be free to enjoy the grounds, cafes and exhibits until closing.
Glenstone
12100 Glen Rd, Potomac, MD 20854
NOVEMBER 11th - Location and Time TBD
Annual Potluck
MANSION at KNOLLWOOD
Tuesday, October 15, 2024
06:00 - 09:00 PM
6200 Oregon Ave NW
Washington, DC 20015
SPEAKERS: Jane MacLeish and Barbara Katz
Study of old, and now ruined, garden designs by landscape architects who were influential in their time.
06:00 - 09:00 PM
6200 Oregon Ave NW
Washington, DC 20015
SPEAKERS: Jane MacLeish and Barbara Katz
Study of old, and now ruined, garden designs by landscape architects who were influential in their time.
WE WILL:
- Visit the site of a garden originally designed by Rose Ishbel Greely, the first licensed female architect in Washington, DC.
- Examine the original plans for the garden and observe how the garden has changed over time.
- Tour the existing gardens of Knollwood, designed and implemented by both Barbara Katz and Jane MacLeish.
- Invite interested residents of Knollwood to join us for the discussion of how designed gardens often reflect the care they receive over time and may not resemble the original intent years later.
- Share member's experiences of restoring historic gardens.
MAKE THE JUMP…
… TO ELECTRIC LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE
January 23, 2024
7:00 - 9:00 PM
McLean Community Center
1234 Ingleside Ave
McLean, VA 22101
Gasoline lawn mowers, blowers and landscaping equipment have been the industry standard for many years. These tools have been highly effective in installation and maintenance but leave much to be desired from an environmental standpoint. “In 2011, engineers at the car company Edmunds estimated that driving a Ford F-150 Raptor truck from Texas to Alaska would emit the same amount of air pollution as a mere half-hour of yard work with a two-stroke, gas-powered leaf blower”*. Over the last 10 years dramatic improvements in technology have made electric landscape maintenance viable and localities have introduced legislation mandating its adoption.
Joan McIntyre will discuss how local policy and requirements may change in the near to medium term requiring the adoption of this equipment and how to plan and design with these possible changes in mind. Joan is a former member of the board of directors of EcoAction Arlington, and chairs the Climate Change, Energy and Environment Commission in Arlington County. She is also a master gardener. Following Joan’s talk, we will hear from the owners of two landscape contracting companies that are leading the way on offering all electric landscape maintenance services.
Zack Kline, founder of A.I.R. - Natural, Organic Land Care Company. A.I.R provides exclusively electric powered maintenance services as well as automated mowing. Zack will discuss the pros and cons of solely providing electric maintenance services.
Fred Peratt, Owner of Environmental Enhancements. Environmental Enhancements offers both conventional and electric landscape maintenance services. Fred will discuss challenges and opportunities associated with transitioning from conventional equipment to electric in both residential and commercial settings.
Upcoming February Meeting:
February Stone Quarry Tour, Location/Date TBD
7:00 - 9:00 PM
McLean Community Center
1234 Ingleside Ave
McLean, VA 22101
Gasoline lawn mowers, blowers and landscaping equipment have been the industry standard for many years. These tools have been highly effective in installation and maintenance but leave much to be desired from an environmental standpoint. “In 2011, engineers at the car company Edmunds estimated that driving a Ford F-150 Raptor truck from Texas to Alaska would emit the same amount of air pollution as a mere half-hour of yard work with a two-stroke, gas-powered leaf blower”*. Over the last 10 years dramatic improvements in technology have made electric landscape maintenance viable and localities have introduced legislation mandating its adoption.
Joan McIntyre will discuss how local policy and requirements may change in the near to medium term requiring the adoption of this equipment and how to plan and design with these possible changes in mind. Joan is a former member of the board of directors of EcoAction Arlington, and chairs the Climate Change, Energy and Environment Commission in Arlington County. She is also a master gardener. Following Joan’s talk, we will hear from the owners of two landscape contracting companies that are leading the way on offering all electric landscape maintenance services.
Zack Kline, founder of A.I.R. - Natural, Organic Land Care Company. A.I.R provides exclusively electric powered maintenance services as well as automated mowing. Zack will discuss the pros and cons of solely providing electric maintenance services.
Fred Peratt, Owner of Environmental Enhancements. Environmental Enhancements offers both conventional and electric landscape maintenance services. Fred will discuss challenges and opportunities associated with transitioning from conventional equipment to electric in both residential and commercial settings.
Upcoming February Meeting:
February Stone Quarry Tour, Location/Date TBD
presentation on rooftop gardens
October 3, 2023
7:00 - 9:00 PM
McLean Community Center
1234 Ingleside Ave
McLean, VA 22101
Our October Landscape Designers’ Group meeting will be a celebration of rooftop gardens. Join us to learn about the design and installation challenges unique to rooftop gardens and view the fantastic results that are possible. Our presenters include landscape designer Tomi Landis who will present a recently completed rooftop design install project located on a penthouse on 10th St NW, Washington DC. Following her first career as an Emmy award-winning television producer, Tomi Landis pursued her Master’s in Sustainable Landscape Design and began her firm creating urban garden spaces. She emphasizes eco healthy landscapes by combining native plants with stormwater design. As a native Californian, she favors the clean lines of modern and minimalist landscapes while respecting water's role and reason in the environment. Please save the date! Additional speakers to be announced in the weeks to come…
Please Send RSVP to:
[email protected]
7:00 - 9:00 PM
McLean Community Center
1234 Ingleside Ave
McLean, VA 22101
Our October Landscape Designers’ Group meeting will be a celebration of rooftop gardens. Join us to learn about the design and installation challenges unique to rooftop gardens and view the fantastic results that are possible. Our presenters include landscape designer Tomi Landis who will present a recently completed rooftop design install project located on a penthouse on 10th St NW, Washington DC. Following her first career as an Emmy award-winning television producer, Tomi Landis pursued her Master’s in Sustainable Landscape Design and began her firm creating urban garden spaces. She emphasizes eco healthy landscapes by combining native plants with stormwater design. As a native Californian, she favors the clean lines of modern and minimalist landscapes while respecting water's role and reason in the environment. Please save the date! Additional speakers to be announced in the weeks to come…
Please Send RSVP to:
[email protected]
exciting rooftop gardens
10/22/2023
Dawn Szelc LDG Secretary, Clear Blue Landscapes
The Landscape Designers Group met at the McLean Community Center to hear two designers talk about their recent projects with rooftop gardens.
Lan Hogue from Michael Vergason Landscape Architects spoke about the City Ridge project https://www.vergason.net/city-ridge , a 10-acre mixed use development on the former Fannie Mae campus on Wisconsin Ave in Washington, D.C. The new owner, a Japanese firm Sekisui House, removed some of the newer buildings on the property but retained the oldest building as a historic site. The area features residential and retail properties as well as outdoor public spaces and underground parking. It was designated as a Leed Gold Public Space, which includes rainwater harvesting, bioretention, and the green roof which Lan worked on.
Lan Hogue from Michael Vergason Landscape Architects spoke about the City Ridge project https://www.vergason.net/city-ridge , a 10-acre mixed use development on the former Fannie Mae campus on Wisconsin Ave in Washington, D.C. The new owner, a Japanese firm Sekisui House, removed some of the newer buildings on the property but retained the oldest building as a historic site. The area features residential and retail properties as well as outdoor public spaces and underground parking. It was designated as a Leed Gold Public Space, which includes rainwater harvesting, bioretention, and the green roof which Lan worked on.
Lan described the green roofs that she worked on which were essentially over the parking garage that was developed under the site. They were planted with a “high mow” mix of fescue and other perennials. The mix was 60% hard fescue, 20% creeping fescue, and 20% red fescue. The “high mow” term means that it should be left to grow fairly high, so only mowing once per year. That is not what the maintenance personnel allowed to happen, so she has had to educate the people on how to maintain the garden as intended. There was an area with a 45-degree slope which required the use of a structure to hold the soil and plants. One area tended to be used for construction traffic and had become very compacted so had to be redone as the plants were not growing well. There was a discussion during the meeting about the best native grass to use on such a site, and one member offered that native Carex is a good choice. It can handle shade, flops over nicely and develops into a nicely filled area.
Lan also discussed the three heritage trees, Pin Oak and Willow Oak, which were growing on the site, and were painstakingly relocated onsite by a tree moving company. She also commented on the value of a product called Instant Hedge from Oregon. They provide mature hedges conveniently packaged for installation.
The second speaker was Tomi Landis, from Landis Architects, who presented a residential rooftop garden in Washington DC. The garden consisted of different spaces including an outdoor kitchen, seating area, and contemporary water feature. All the elements had to be carried to the roof using a crane situated on the street in a specific time frame dictated by the city. Permitting was difficult because the garden was not allowed to be seen from the street. Additional visual barriers were used in certain directions.
Lan also discussed the three heritage trees, Pin Oak and Willow Oak, which were growing on the site, and were painstakingly relocated onsite by a tree moving company. She also commented on the value of a product called Instant Hedge from Oregon. They provide mature hedges conveniently packaged for installation.
The second speaker was Tomi Landis, from Landis Architects, who presented a residential rooftop garden in Washington DC. The garden consisted of different spaces including an outdoor kitchen, seating area, and contemporary water feature. All the elements had to be carried to the roof using a crane situated on the street in a specific time frame dictated by the city. Permitting was difficult because the garden was not allowed to be seen from the street. Additional visual barriers were used in certain directions.
She found that the water feature had a lovely sound but created too much splash so that needed some adjustments. The lighting was designed and installed by our own Olson Weaver lighting, and the irrigation was completed by Outdoor Illumination. There were numerous planters used with polystyrene peanuts at the bottom and a soil mix consisting of soil, sand, and compost. These were from the Jay Scotts Collection as well as custom built. The plants were installed by Great American Landscapes, with annuals by Julie Friedman, another LDG member. The garden elements were installed upon a new deck which used Moisture Shield composite decking material which is marketed as 33% cooler than other completing composites. There was a large umbrella over the seating area which caught the audience’s eye. Tomi said this was from Treasure Garden. It was 16 ft across and weighed 200 lbs. but was very easy to move around. She thought that the catalog company, Frontgate, had similar types of umbrellas. For some additional photos and gallery of work see the link.
https://www.landisconstruction.com/our-portfolio/downtown-dc-roof-deck/
https://www.landisconstruction.com/our-portfolio/downtown-dc-roof-deck/
wild bees have needs
03/07/2020
Dawn Szelc and Clara Aleman, LDG Co-Secretaries
The Landscape Designer’s Group met February 26, 2020, at the McLean Library. Our lecturer Sam Droege of the USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center ([email protected]) provided a fascinating discussion on native bees.
Sam provided a wealth of information, and we tried to capture as much as possible. There are 445 native bee species in Maryland who feed on 3836 plants. Virginia has 460+ species and they are finding more all the time. Native bees do not sting, don’t defend their colonies, and no one is allergic to them. There are no native honey bees; they are all from European species. Honey bees are competitive with native species. Saving the bees involves saving the pollen which they feed on. It only takes 5 flowers to feed a baby bee, and an average acre produces 26,000 bees (native/honey) in a year. Most of our native bees live underground, while some nest in hollow stems or holes in wood. You can create bee nesting places by bundling cut hollow stems or using bee houses. They don’t spend much time flying around. They have many different types of “tongues” with which to get at the plants they prefer. The average lifespan of a bee is 1 year.
Sam discussed a number of areas where new species of bees have been discovered recently. At the Mt Cuba Center seven species have been found of specific flowers. Sandy spots are good places to look for bees because many live in the sand such as at Jug Bay, MD where new species have been found that new names had to be created for them. On Assateague Island 5 species have been found that are only found there. In Baltimore, 19 species with 11 that are not native were found.
- These amazing close-up pictures of native bees are available at the Native Bee Inventory and Monitoring Lab https://www.usgs.gov/centers/pwrc/science/native-bee-inventory-and-monitoring-lab?qt-science_center_objects=0#qt-science_center_objects. They are public domain on Flicker and Instagram,
- Sam’s FB site is a good place to ask questions https://www.facebook.com/sam.droege
Sam provided a wealth of information, and we tried to capture as much as possible. There are 445 native bee species in Maryland who feed on 3836 plants. Virginia has 460+ species and they are finding more all the time. Native bees do not sting, don’t defend their colonies, and no one is allergic to them. There are no native honey bees; they are all from European species. Honey bees are competitive with native species. Saving the bees involves saving the pollen which they feed on. It only takes 5 flowers to feed a baby bee, and an average acre produces 26,000 bees (native/honey) in a year. Most of our native bees live underground, while some nest in hollow stems or holes in wood. You can create bee nesting places by bundling cut hollow stems or using bee houses. They don’t spend much time flying around. They have many different types of “tongues” with which to get at the plants they prefer. The average lifespan of a bee is 1 year.
Sam discussed a number of areas where new species of bees have been discovered recently. At the Mt Cuba Center seven species have been found of specific flowers. Sandy spots are good places to look for bees because many live in the sand such as at Jug Bay, MD where new species have been found that new names had to be created for them. On Assateague Island 5 species have been found that are only found there. In Baltimore, 19 species with 11 that are not native were found.
Types of bees:
- Generalist bees – the crows and sparrows
- Use many plants
- Conservation issue is low
- Specialist bees are vulnerable
- Baby bees feed on pollen from only one type of plant.
- Only 3 types of bees go to pickerel weed.
- They are rare bees
- Other generalist also benefits from these same plants.
- Bumble bees
- Over winter underground and then emerge in spring
- Feed on early spring blooms especially in lawns like clover, and weedy mint
- Mint, clover, redbud, horse nettle, thistle, goldenrod
Sam’s Favorite Plants
Sam’s Slogans
March: meeting location TBD
April 18 Kennedy Center the REACH 10am
May 9 georgetowngardenclub.dc.org for tickets …O and 31st Street
June 16 Alonso Abiganes Capital Naturalist. Alexandria. Meadow Walk at Dusk
- Thistles
- Mountain mint
- Figwort
- Shrubby ilex
- Wild plum
- Cup plant
- Germander
- Vacciniums
- Ceanothus
- Sneezeweeds (get both!)
- Shrubby willow
- Blue/swamp Vervain
- Guilty favorite: zinnias
Sam’s Slogans
- "Pollinator gardens are like bird feeders – not natural nor native."
- "Save a bee. Kill a tree."
- "Turf is like paving Yellowstone Park"
- Flickr/Instagram/Tumblr/Facebook= @USGSBIML
- http://bio2.elmira.edu/fieldbio/beesofmarylandbookdraft3.pdf
- https://www.flickr.com/people/usgsbiml/
- https://jarrodfowler.com/specialist_bees.html
March: meeting location TBD
April 18 Kennedy Center the REACH 10am
May 9 georgetowngardenclub.dc.org for tickets …O and 31st Street
June 16 Alonso Abiganes Capital Naturalist. Alexandria. Meadow Walk at Dusk
five seasons the gardens of piet oudolf
2/25/2020
LDG and APLD joined forces in January to network and screen the documentary movie about Piet Oudolf. We had a wonderful turn out with over 60 members and guests enjoying the time together!
We started our time with both organizations offering help with online profile settings for the two organizations websites. Molly Scott, President of the DCMDVA chapter, https://dcmdva-apld.org/ and Julie Hawley, President of LDG, both encourage our members to update their member profiles and include photos of yourself and your projects. This online tool is very helpful to the public in searching for designers. Please update today!
Barbara Katz, LDG member and accomplished designer, graciously opened our film with a personal introduction of Piet Oudolf. She had the pleasure of working with Piet at the Delaware Botanic Gardens.
The film is still touring the country, check out additional screenings at https://www.fiveseasonsmovie.com/screenings/. Below are some of her comments.
Thomas Piper, an award-winning film maker, completed a documentary on New York’s High Line in 2012. During that time, he met the designer and plantsman, Piet Oudolf..... and here we pause to learn the correct pronunciation of his name - pinch yourself - OW !!!..... Thomas was so impressed with Piet, the idea for a new project was born. This documentary immerses viewers in Oudolf’s work and takes us inside his creative process, from his beautifully abstract sketches, to his theories on beauty and the ecological implications of his inspirational ideas.
Piet Oudolf has radically redefined what gardens can be. As Rick Darke, the famous botanist, says to Piet in the film, “your work teaches us to see, what we have been unable to see.”
Through poetic cinematography and unique access, FIVE SEASONS gets inside Piet's head and takes us on a slow, meditative and melodic journey that reveals the magic and genius of Piet's gardens.
Super briefly, I brought Piet to a project in Delaware, the brand new Delaware Botanic Gardens .... some of you have been there. It was an extraordinary priviledge to work closely with him, while sourcing the required 65,000 plants for his 2 acre meadow, and while implementing the meadow in 3 phases. The depth and breadth of Piet's plant knowledge is truly awe-inspiring, and I learned so much. After you see the film, I think you will feel, like you too have come to know him just a little bit. So sit back, relax and revel in this gentle and evocative film, that helps reveal the essence of Piet Oudolf.
Special thanks to APLD for joining us!
We started our time with both organizations offering help with online profile settings for the two organizations websites. Molly Scott, President of the DCMDVA chapter, https://dcmdva-apld.org/ and Julie Hawley, President of LDG, both encourage our members to update their member profiles and include photos of yourself and your projects. This online tool is very helpful to the public in searching for designers. Please update today!
Barbara Katz, LDG member and accomplished designer, graciously opened our film with a personal introduction of Piet Oudolf. She had the pleasure of working with Piet at the Delaware Botanic Gardens.
The film is still touring the country, check out additional screenings at https://www.fiveseasonsmovie.com/screenings/. Below are some of her comments.
Thomas Piper, an award-winning film maker, completed a documentary on New York’s High Line in 2012. During that time, he met the designer and plantsman, Piet Oudolf..... and here we pause to learn the correct pronunciation of his name - pinch yourself - OW !!!..... Thomas was so impressed with Piet, the idea for a new project was born. This documentary immerses viewers in Oudolf’s work and takes us inside his creative process, from his beautifully abstract sketches, to his theories on beauty and the ecological implications of his inspirational ideas.
Piet Oudolf has radically redefined what gardens can be. As Rick Darke, the famous botanist, says to Piet in the film, “your work teaches us to see, what we have been unable to see.”
Through poetic cinematography and unique access, FIVE SEASONS gets inside Piet's head and takes us on a slow, meditative and melodic journey that reveals the magic and genius of Piet's gardens.
Super briefly, I brought Piet to a project in Delaware, the brand new Delaware Botanic Gardens .... some of you have been there. It was an extraordinary priviledge to work closely with him, while sourcing the required 65,000 plants for his 2 acre meadow, and while implementing the meadow in 3 phases. The depth and breadth of Piet's plant knowledge is truly awe-inspiring, and I learned so much. After you see the film, I think you will feel, like you too have come to know him just a little bit. So sit back, relax and revel in this gentle and evocative film, that helps reveal the essence of Piet Oudolf.
Special thanks to APLD for joining us!
lighting tour & annual meeting
1/13/2020
Dawn Szelc LDG Co-Secretary, Clear Blue Landscapes
The November meeting of LDG bought us to Arlington on the night of a full moon for a lighting tour. It was quite magical as you can see from the picture above!
Olson Weaver Lighting Design & Install hosted the discussion of a recent project with homeowner Betsy. Betsy had completed a very large landscape design project at her Arlington home. The landscape was the work of Brendan Doyle, President of PLANTERRA Landscape Design, and Shorb Landscaping. Betsy wanted a native garden that was not messy. She also developed a love for birding and wanted to make sure that birds would be visiting her garden. With a sloped yard, high in the back and low in the front, hardscaping created separate areas for different types of plants, including a small rain garden and a sunny meadow.
Olson Weaver Lighting Design & Install hosted the discussion of a recent project with homeowner Betsy. Betsy had completed a very large landscape design project at her Arlington home. The landscape was the work of Brendan Doyle, President of PLANTERRA Landscape Design, and Shorb Landscaping. Betsy wanted a native garden that was not messy. She also developed a love for birding and wanted to make sure that birds would be visiting her garden. With a sloped yard, high in the back and low in the front, hardscaping created separate areas for different types of plants, including a small rain garden and a sunny meadow.
The site had a number of drainage issues, so Betsy also incorporated rain barrels to collect the rain water off the roof and bayscaping. Bayscapes are environmentally sound landscapes benefiting people, wildlife and water conservation by advocating a "holistic" approach through principles inspired by the relationships found in the natural world. Water-wise landscaping is a big part of it.
Betsy installed the plants in early September 2019, so they had not had much chance to mature when we were there. Some of the points of interest, besides a large selection of natives, include a Hornbeam hedge, a white Cercis canadensis, and a large stone frog.
Betsy installed the plants in early September 2019, so they had not had much chance to mature when we were there. Some of the points of interest, besides a large selection of natives, include a Hornbeam hedge, a white Cercis canadensis, and a large stone frog.
Thanks to the homeowner and Olson Weaver Lighting for the tour.
Afterward the LDG membership met at La Ferme Restaurant in Bethesda for a Savory Tasting dinner with drinks. Our Annual Meeting was held including the new year's officer’s election. A festive celebration of another year of Landscape Programs for LDG!
Afterward the LDG membership met at La Ferme Restaurant in Bethesda for a Savory Tasting dinner with drinks. Our Annual Meeting was held including the new year's officer’s election. A festive celebration of another year of Landscape Programs for LDG!
arlington woods tour oct 2019
10/26/2019
Dawn Szelc LDG Secretary, Clear Blue Landscapes
On this brilliant fall morning over 60 people (from the Landscape Designers Group, Master Gardeners, Trees Stewards, National Park Service and other organizations) had an inspirational and informative visit to Arlington Woods, a remnant stand of Mid-Atlantic Mesic, Mixed-Hardwood Forest adjacent to Arlington National Cemetery.
The tour was led by Rod Simmons, Natural Resource Manager/Plant Ecologist who highlighted unique features of this “old age forest” that once covered the uplands and hillside of property owned by George Washington Parke Custis. Rod described features of the Chestnut Oak and Oak Heath Forest communities found on the upper areas of the property, and Acid Oak Hickory in the ravines and lower benches. Rod further clarified that “old age forests” are ones established post-colonial settlement, (such those as seen at Monticello or Chapman Forest) in contrast with “old growth forests” more common in the west which remain intact due to their more remote or inaccessible locations.
Evidence of the current drought was seen, even in the larger oak and hickory trees. Rod cautioned against the removal of stressed trees until next year and encouraged evaluating them in late spring. Rod also noted that American Ash saplings were abundant despite deer browse and the loss of larger trees killed by the Emerald Ash borer and suggested prudent use of benzodiazepine injections in larger saplings to enhance pest resistance. He also highlighted the excellent work that the National Park Service does with environmental planning and projects, including recent stream and stormwater conveyance work seen onsite. Rod’s amazing breath of knowledge and keen powers of observation were further evidenced by his description of an artifact found on site and carefully replaced where found.
Evidence of the current drought was seen, even in the larger oak and hickory trees. Rod cautioned against the removal of stressed trees until next year and encouraged evaluating them in late spring. Rod also noted that American Ash saplings were abundant despite deer browse and the loss of larger trees killed by the Emerald Ash borer and suggested prudent use of benzodiazepine injections in larger saplings to enhance pest resistance. He also highlighted the excellent work that the National Park Service does with environmental planning and projects, including recent stream and stormwater conveyance work seen onsite. Rod’s amazing breath of knowledge and keen powers of observation were further evidenced by his description of an artifact found on site and carefully replaced where found.
Once again, the beauty and complexity of our native forests were an inspiration to all!
A bio for Rod:
“Rod Simmons is the Plant Ecologist for the City of Alexandria, a member of the Virginia Botanical Associates (a nonprofit scientific organization dedicated to the study of Virginia’s flora), a board member of the Virginia Native Plant Society, and Botany Chair of the Maryland Native Plant Society. A life-long resident of northern Virginia, Rod has an encyclopedic command of the local flora.” https://armn.org/2012/12/19/rod-simmons-on-ecological-restoration/
An interesting description of the area written by Rod Simmons: ArlingtonWoods Through The AgesPDF.pdf
Thank you to the groups that joined us that day:
A bio for Rod:
“Rod Simmons is the Plant Ecologist for the City of Alexandria, a member of the Virginia Botanical Associates (a nonprofit scientific organization dedicated to the study of Virginia’s flora), a board member of the Virginia Native Plant Society, and Botany Chair of the Maryland Native Plant Society. A life-long resident of northern Virginia, Rod has an encyclopedic command of the local flora.” https://armn.org/2012/12/19/rod-simmons-on-ecological-restoration/
An interesting description of the area written by Rod Simmons: ArlingtonWoods Through The AgesPDF.pdf
Thank you to the groups that joined us that day:
- Arlington Regional Master Naturalist https://armn.org/ They have good info on Deer and their impact: https://armn.org/deer-management/
- Virginia Native Plant Society https://vnps.org Deer management article: https://vnps.org/manage-white-tailed-deer-to-protect-our-natural-heritage/
- Tree Stewards of Arlington and Alexandria https://treestewards.org/
- The Botanical Society of Washington http://www.botsoc.org/
- National Park Service https://www.nps.gov
- Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia https://mgnv.org/
good design is more important than ever
10/8/2019
by Clara Aleman, RLA, ASLA
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That’s how Karen started her talk about her latest book on September 23rd, 2019 at an LDG event. I'm talking about Karen Chapman, owner of Le jardinet, co-author of Fine Foliage, the acclaimed, Gardening with Foliage First, and several articles featured in various publications. And her latest book - Deer-Resistant Design, the topic of this article. |
Why is her new book titled Deer-Resistant Design?
Well, as she so simply stated, and bears repeating, because “good design is more important than ever.”
Karen found that many home owners with deer in their yard, tend to come for garden advice only after many failed attempts that took up time, effort and money.
In her new book, she offers homeowners that share their yard with deer to - start with a plan – a plan that includes deer as part of the garden experience.
Well, as she so simply stated, and bears repeating, because “good design is more important than ever.”
Karen found that many home owners with deer in their yard, tend to come for garden advice only after many failed attempts that took up time, effort and money.
In her new book, she offers homeowners that share their yard with deer to - start with a plan – a plan that includes deer as part of the garden experience.
She offered 8 key design principles for a deer-resistant garden.
1. Establish the hardscape. Think about shapes, materials, sight lines to create a sense of order.
2. Non-edible focal points (water features, containers, structures) – distract and re-focus attention.
3. Color palette – Be strategic and create a sense of unity and order.
4. Varying textures and heights of plants – easier to “hide” minor damage than a sheared hedge.
5. Foliage framework – taste testing less obvious than if lower buds are nipped off.
6. Plant selection – focus on deer resistant plants (levels A and B) and think in combinations.
7. Avoid monoculture – because you KNOW the deer will have to taste it….
8. Barriers – re-route and/or protect with sprays, temporary fencing etc. (Important for year round browsing as well as fall rutting/antlering).
I don't want to give much more away, because I highly recommend you READ THE BOOK!
And, please check out her website ... for lots of happy reading!
1. Establish the hardscape. Think about shapes, materials, sight lines to create a sense of order.
2. Non-edible focal points (water features, containers, structures) – distract and re-focus attention.
3. Color palette – Be strategic and create a sense of unity and order.
4. Varying textures and heights of plants – easier to “hide” minor damage than a sheared hedge.
5. Foliage framework – taste testing less obvious than if lower buds are nipped off.
6. Plant selection – focus on deer resistant plants (levels A and B) and think in combinations.
7. Avoid monoculture – because you KNOW the deer will have to taste it….
8. Barriers – re-route and/or protect with sprays, temporary fencing etc. (Important for year round browsing as well as fall rutting/antlering).
I don't want to give much more away, because I highly recommend you READ THE BOOK!
And, please check out her website ... for lots of happy reading!
glenstone landscape tour
9/18/2019
LDG members thoroughly enjoyed a tour of Glenstone “a place that seamlessly integrates art, architecture, and landscape into a serene and contemplative environment.” https://www.glenstone.org/. Paul Tukey, Chief Sustainability Officer, was our guide through the landscape.
Here is a snapshot of our tour:
gardens in spring
6/9/2019
Clara Aleman, RLA, ASLA
Oh! The gardens we saw! Not ONE, not TWO, but THREE gardens!
One... The Marshall House in Leesburg, Virginia
Two... Watermark Woods Native Plants Nursery
Three... Ashburn Village pollinator gardens
On Saturday, June 1st, our LDG team came together with APLD and celebrated Spring with a morning of garden visits.
One... The Marshall House in Leesburg, Virginia
Two... Watermark Woods Native Plants Nursery
Three... Ashburn Village pollinator gardens
On Saturday, June 1st, our LDG team came together with APLD and celebrated Spring with a morning of garden visits.
ONE… The morning started at the historic Marshall House in Leesburg, where we met for a light breakfast and a lecture from Leslie Solitario, landscape architect with River's Edge Landscaping on the history of the house, its owners, and the garden. Afterwards, Leslie graciously headed a tour of the house grounds. The Marshall House, a Federal style house was built in the 1920s. For approximately two of decades (1942-1959), George C. Marshall and his family made it their home. Hence, why we now know it as the Marshall House. In the 80s, the house fell under harsh times until a non-for-profit made it their mission to restore the home and by 1996 the house received National Historic Designation. Currently, this simple, yet elegant home is entirely supported by volunteers who donate time and money.
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TWO… we stopped at Watermark Woods, where owner, Julie Borneman along with fellow co-workers Laura and Celest warmly greeted us, introduced us to their nursery, and their passion for all things native. Visit her! She is a great source for native plants! |
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THREE… off we went to Ashburn Village to see the award-winning native gardens of designer and podcaster John Magee. In 2016, the Ashburn Village Board decided to do pollinator gardens around their lake. After a failed attempt, the board brought in John Magee, an expert in native landscaping. John's concept includes 5 organically elongated shaped planting beds. These native planting beds are now going on their second year of installation.
John left us with one very important piece of information. He says that most people think that native planting are low maintenance. Rather their importance is part of a much larger ecological conversation. So, if we are serious about being stewards of our environment, we need to do the right thing! |
"It is a misunderstanding that native pollinator plantings are easy to maintain."
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These are a few of his favorite native pollinator plants:
Blackeyed Susan - Rudbeckia maxima
Blue Stem – Andropogon geradii
Coneflower - Echinacea cordatus
Elderberry – Sambucus nigra
Flowering Spurge - Euphorbia corollata
Fox Sage – Carex vulpinoidea
Goldenrod - Solidago rugosa ‘Fireworks’
Wild Quinine - Parthenium integrifolium
May 2019 Maryland Storm water Management projects
5/27/2019
Dawn Szelc, LDG Secretary, Clear Blue Landscapes
Derwood MD Storm water project
May’s tour took us first to Derwood, MD to see a beautiful May 2018 installation to control storm water in a neighborhood common area. The area is about 3000 sq ft and connects to Crabbs Branch Stream valley. The design was done by LDG member Darlene Robbins. The Derwood Station #2 HOA had an original design which was completed earlier by another firm and she then reworked. Darlene created a meandering flow with shrubs and rocks at the curves to direct and slow the flow of water as well as promote infiltration. The project was funded by the Chesapeake Bay Trust – Montgomery County Watershed and Restoration Outreach grant to the Rock Creek Conservancy for $85,000. The installation was completed by J & G Landscaping. Darlene had multiple engineers review her design including Rebecca Stack from Design Green and Chris Sonne.
At the top of the area, the storm water from the neighborhood is funneled from a large pipe into the common area. Darlene created a large “well” in this location filled with rock to first catch the water before it flows towards the stream. She used jute netting along the flow to anchor the plants during large rain events. This will biodegrade over time as the plants become larger and more established. She also used landscape fabric under the rocks to keep the dirt from being washed away. She also used “matrix planting” as defined by Thomas Rainer and Claudia West, where she created several modules of multiple plants and then repeated the modules over and over to create a planned but visually random design. In all Darlene used 50 tons of stone and 3000 native plants.
Part of the design is a trial study of underplanting with green mulch. Darlene chose 4 different plants to test over time: Salvia lurata ‘Purple Knockout’ (although she did not request this cultivar it is what was planted), Carex radiata, Juncas tenuis, and Waldsteinia ternate.
The project has received Honorable Mention in the 2019 Best Urban BMP in the Bay Awards (BUBBA) in the habitat creation category.
Part of the design is a trial study of underplanting with green mulch. Darlene chose 4 different plants to test over time: Salvia lurata ‘Purple Knockout’ (although she did not request this cultivar it is what was planted), Carex radiata, Juncas tenuis, and Waldsteinia ternate.
The project has received Honorable Mention in the 2019 Best Urban BMP in the Bay Awards (BUBBA) in the habitat creation category.
The next property at 9008 Rosemont Dr in Gaithersburg, was a design by LDG member Toni Bailey. She designed both a green roof and a native planting bed with a cistern to collect rainwater off the roof of the Epworth United Methodist Church. The green roof was created using sedum modules from Live Roof and installed by Gordon Construction. Toni requested that a structural engineer review the weight that would be installed and found that reinforcement was required. This work was funded by a $50,000 grant from the Muddy Branch Alliance. The planting bed along one part of the church wall includes all native trees, shrubs, perennials, and grasses. The cistern is from Aqua Barrel, a company which has now moved to Georgia. There is a switch to divert the water away from the cistern in winter so that it does not freeze inside the container.
The third property, 214 Tulip Dr in Gaithersburg, was at a private home and funded by the Green Streets grant of the Isaac Walton League. Toni did the site assessment and designed a Master Plan with rain gardens and sustainable landscaping. Only part of the design has been implemented. She did the backyard installation including a rain garden with dry creek bed and native plants such as Baptisia, turtlehead, penstemon, and native creeping phlox.
The final property, at 114 Woodland Dr in Gaithersburg, was a beautiful front yard installation. The owner was very involved in this design plan and is an avid gardener. The planting plan is a mix of native shrubs and perennials, among some existing mature trees. Shrubs included Thuja occidentalis ‘Little Giant’ and Winterberry. There were many Foam flowers and Hay-scented ferns. Other plants included Solidago shuitii ‘Solar Cascade’ Jacobs Ladder, Woodland phlox, Blue wood sedge, Silene carolinia, and wood fern. It was a beautiful and inviting front yard.
Thanks to the designer's for showing us their excellent work and to the homeowners for allowing us to view their properties!
Thanks to the designer's for showing us their excellent work and to the homeowners for allowing us to view their properties!
March 2019 Pond design, Construction, and Maintenance
4/29/2019
Dawn Szelc, LDG Secretary Clear Blue Landscapes
The March meeting of the LDG was on ponds as water features in the landscape. We had 5 speakers from different companies in the area with expertise in pond design, construction, and management.
John Magee, of Magee Design (www.johnmagee.com), has expertise in vernal ponds. Besides landscape design, John has a pod cast called The Native Plant Podcast. In Broadlands, VA he did a boardwalk in a storm water area. It is planted with native plants. He discussed the most common invasive that he sees in these areas, which is miscanthus grass, so emphasized not to use this plant. As a side he also mentioned that there is an 8-foot layer of cigarette butts at the bottom of the Chesapeake Bay!
John worked with Alonzo Avogadas, Capital Naturalist and Natural Resource Manager for Arlington Parks, at the Barcroft Park near Four Mile Run. This park has a magnolia bog with many Sweet Bay Magnolia growing naturally there. These trees are semi-evergreen and like moisture. Alonzo creates a temporary pool to support the amphibians’ life cycle. He uses a product called a Quick dam that absorbs water and create a damming effect to collect the rain water in the spring. These vernal pools support the life cycle of wood frogs, spring peepers, and later toads. They tend to be acidic. He discussed that if you have a pond or pool in a landscape, he does not recommend stocking it with koi as they will eat any and all frog or amphibian eggs laid there. He has also noticed that his own pond had many dragon flies when there were not koi resident in it. He also recommends having minnow for controlling algae.
John loves pitcher plants which also grow in very wet areas. They are native to northern Michigan and New Hampshire. He showed photos of the Powhatan School in Boyce, VA where they had developed rain gardens. Some of the plants used there include Pawpaw, Hibiscus, Elderberry, Closed gentian, Joe Pye Weed, Cardinal flower, Itea virginica, Fothergilla, Fringe tree, and Cut plant.
The next speaker was Don Jump from Harmony Ponds. Don discussed that they do design, construction, maintenance, and repair of any and all types of water features including ponds, fountains, lakes, and waterfalls.
Kristen Weaver and Tara Sutton from DC Ponds, LLC are two sisters who have developed a business cleaning and maintaining ponds. They showed many before and after photos of the types of ponds that they have experience draining cleaning and then restoring to function and beauty. It is a very labor intensive job that they love.
Lastly, Stephen Koza spoke. He is President of Tropic bay Water Gardens in Davidsonville, MD. His is the largest aquatic garden center on the east coast, and he is a koi specialist. He has green houses that are just for fish sales and has many unusual and special varieties of fish that he hand-selects during visits abroad. His store includes a large selection of backyard art and pottery. Stephen recommends UV sterilizers for better water quality and says the key to a well-maintained pond is filtration. He discussed the trick to keep herons out of your pond and eating the fish is to make the walls at least 3 feet high with straight edges. They are not able to get in to eat the fish.
Our final presentation was to bring all the speakers back for a question and answer panel session. LDG President Julie Hawley asked how to begin creating a pond – what materials are used, etc?
All in all, the entire evening was very informative, and we thank all the speakers for their contributions.
John Magee, of Magee Design (www.johnmagee.com), has expertise in vernal ponds. Besides landscape design, John has a pod cast called The Native Plant Podcast. In Broadlands, VA he did a boardwalk in a storm water area. It is planted with native plants. He discussed the most common invasive that he sees in these areas, which is miscanthus grass, so emphasized not to use this plant. As a side he also mentioned that there is an 8-foot layer of cigarette butts at the bottom of the Chesapeake Bay!
John worked with Alonzo Avogadas, Capital Naturalist and Natural Resource Manager for Arlington Parks, at the Barcroft Park near Four Mile Run. This park has a magnolia bog with many Sweet Bay Magnolia growing naturally there. These trees are semi-evergreen and like moisture. Alonzo creates a temporary pool to support the amphibians’ life cycle. He uses a product called a Quick dam that absorbs water and create a damming effect to collect the rain water in the spring. These vernal pools support the life cycle of wood frogs, spring peepers, and later toads. They tend to be acidic. He discussed that if you have a pond or pool in a landscape, he does not recommend stocking it with koi as they will eat any and all frog or amphibian eggs laid there. He has also noticed that his own pond had many dragon flies when there were not koi resident in it. He also recommends having minnow for controlling algae.
John loves pitcher plants which also grow in very wet areas. They are native to northern Michigan and New Hampshire. He showed photos of the Powhatan School in Boyce, VA where they had developed rain gardens. Some of the plants used there include Pawpaw, Hibiscus, Elderberry, Closed gentian, Joe Pye Weed, Cardinal flower, Itea virginica, Fothergilla, Fringe tree, and Cut plant.
The next speaker was Don Jump from Harmony Ponds. Don discussed that they do design, construction, maintenance, and repair of any and all types of water features including ponds, fountains, lakes, and waterfalls.
Kristen Weaver and Tara Sutton from DC Ponds, LLC are two sisters who have developed a business cleaning and maintaining ponds. They showed many before and after photos of the types of ponds that they have experience draining cleaning and then restoring to function and beauty. It is a very labor intensive job that they love.
Lastly, Stephen Koza spoke. He is President of Tropic bay Water Gardens in Davidsonville, MD. His is the largest aquatic garden center on the east coast, and he is a koi specialist. He has green houses that are just for fish sales and has many unusual and special varieties of fish that he hand-selects during visits abroad. His store includes a large selection of backyard art and pottery. Stephen recommends UV sterilizers for better water quality and says the key to a well-maintained pond is filtration. He discussed the trick to keep herons out of your pond and eating the fish is to make the walls at least 3 feet high with straight edges. They are not able to get in to eat the fish.
Our final presentation was to bring all the speakers back for a question and answer panel session. LDG President Julie Hawley asked how to begin creating a pond – what materials are used, etc?
- All recommended pond liners made from EPDM which last at least 20 years. Do not use PVC or vinyl liners. Gunite or concrete may also be used but may need to be refurbished in the long run. Waterproof paint on a concrete shell is an option. Bentonite clay would be a natural base, but plants can grow into it.
- Clean the pond at least once a year but twice is better. Some people have monthly maintenance plans.
- Yellow flag iris! Water hyacinth is invasive but provides pond shade which is important to keep down algae. Water lettuce is also invasive, so they recommend only using 1-2 plants. Others mentioned were parrots feather, royal pickerel, cattails, and golden reed.
- John Magee is not a koi fan describing them as “eating and pooping machines” which will eat all the amphibian and other life nearby, while Stephen Koza is quite the aficionado of all types of koi.
- Stephen mentioned that koi ponds need good filtration and recommends ultraviolet water filters.
- John talked about garden ponds which don’t need much work and are more of a natural ecosystem. He also discussed the terms bog – meaning a still water area, and fen – meaning a moving water area.
- Pond filters aerate and add oxygen to the water to keep the pond system healthy. Solar pumps were not recommended at all.
All in all, the entire evening was very informative, and we thank all the speakers for their contributions.
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