Arboretum Wallis
In the Arboretum – November
There are so many wonderful trees in the Arboretum, sometimes it is hard to see the trees for the ‘forest’. Among the wonderful trees that you will find in the Arboretum is Diospryros virginiana, aka ‘divine fruit’. It is one that you would not readily accept If your only contact with D. virginiana, (persimmon) was tasting the astringent fruit, or step
ping on the messy fruit, it would be the last tree you would want to plant. It is all how you look at it.
In the fall, its foliage of gold, yellow, orange and purple foliage, simply glows. Its winter silhouette exposes alligator bark and picturesque branches, and apricot-colored fruit that will hang on through the winter or until the wildlife eat it.
Michael A. Dirr, “Dirr’s Hardy Trees and Shrubs”, says ‘it will not win a landscape beauty contest’, however, once established the long tap root ensures it will survive the worst of conditions and it will have a long life. Severed roots will regenerate, are good soil builders, enabling the tree to adapt to drought, flood, heat, shade, and wind, though it loves rich, organic soil, plenty of moisture and full sun.
Culture is simple. Avoid planting were fruit will drop on hard surface. The dense wood, member of the ebony family, resists and survives persimmon wilt a systematic disease and twig girdling insect. Simply rake fallen branches and leaves and burned the area under the tree.
When to eat the fruit? Most consider the astringent D. virginiana(American native) must go through a freeze to be edible. Guy Sternberg, author of “Native Trees of North America”, states that it is not temperature but the length of time that causes it to sweeten.
It is a wonderful apricot-tasting fruit that is a delight as fruit, the basis of bread, pudding, preserves and brandy. Sternberg considers it as the most diverse and useful tree in the landscape. It is an excellent wildlife wood, attracts two spectacular moths Regal and Swallow-tail Luna. While the dense black core-wood has many uses (shuttles and veneer), don’t build a child’s boat – it will sink due to its density.
Autumn at the Arboretum
According to the calendar it is officially Autumn, though this year’s continuing heat shows Mother Nature is not willing to leave Summer just quite yet. From the Wallis Arboretum’s beginning in the 1850s, trees were selected for their uniqueness and their year-round beauty, so as we progress into true autumn, there will be a continuation of color throughout.
Maples, harbingers of autumn, normally are the first to show their true colors in the fall. The Arboretum maples include Black, Paperbark, Red, and Sugar; and Japanese maple “Bloodgood” and “Burgundy Lace”. The new foliage of the last is a deep red that changes color during the year and returns to deep red-purple in the fall.
Among the unique are gingkos, whose leaf imprints have been found in fossils that are 270 million years old. The lemon-yellow leaves hang on until all have turned and then drop within two to three days, leaving a bare tree surrounded by a yellow skirt on the ground.
Redbud displays a darker yellow, with the exception of “Forest Pansy” and “Oklahoma” whose leaves are deep purple.
Washington Hawthorn turns orange, scarlet, and purple each fall. Along with the Serviceberry, which has red to orange foliage, these two native trees produces purple-black edible berries and retains through the winter for the birds to eat.
The oaks, whose botanical name “Quercus’ means ‘beautiful tree’, are among the last to change color. The Pin Oak and the Northern Red Oak change to scarlet and ruby-red.
This is not a complete list of the Arboretum’s fall color collection of trees. Visit the Arboretum often to see the daily change of fall color. Visit on your own or for a group tour of the Arboretum: call 859-987-6158 and leave a message.
Garden Tips for September
- Deep water plants in preparation for winter. Despite what it seems, plants continue to grow their roots even during the coldest winter.
- 15 Minute gardening – Write out a weekly plan of what needs to be done and divide into daily chores. Make a list of tools and supplies, adding what is needed to the shopping list. Having all supplies at hand, saves time and frustration.
- Garden – While the soil is soft, pull weeds before they go to seed. Grab them at soil level and roll you hand away from the weed. It is easier and more root comes out than pulling straight up.
- Pull dried daylily stems.
- Pot up spring bulbs in soil to force for holiday bloom.
- Layer daffodil, tulip and top with crocus and muscari.
- Sow hardy annuals and transplant tender biennials.
- Lawn – Remove thatch. Seed areas that need repair before mid- to late month. Check lawnmower blades for sharpness. The more turgid the leaf blades, the duller they will make the mower blades.
- Trees – Select locations for fall tree planting in October. Consider power lines location.
- Plant shrubs (mature size up to 10 feet) 10 feet from the power line. Magnolia soulangeana “Ann” is a small shrub that has bloomed all summer.
- Small trees(mature size under 30 feet) plant at least 15 feet from power lines.
- Medium trees (30-50 feet) plant 35 feet away
- tall trees, at least 45 feet.
- Prune crape myrtle whose flowers have gone to seed and cut suckers from the base of the tree. Wait to trim trees that have sent out new growth thinking it is mid-summer, until they go dormant. Pick of fallen fruit to avoiding tripping or creating projectiles when mowing.
- Vegetable – Work organic matter into vacant spaces: compost, aged manure, rotted straw or chopped leaves. Work 10-10-10 granular fertilizer into the soil and plant leaf lettuce, radish, spinach and turnip greens until mid-month. Reduce growth of perennial herbs by not fertilizing, so that fertilizer forced new-growth is not killed by frost.
In the Arboretum: Champion Acorns
In his poem, “Trees”, Joyce Kilmer said, “Only God can create a tree…” For one of the finest old tree collections in Central Kentucky, visit the Wallis Arboretum. Many are over 100 years, including the recently declared Kentucky Champion Northern Red Oak. It is over 96 feet tall, its circumference 180 feet, measured at 4.5 feet from the ground and one of the old trees that dominate the front yard. It is one of 11 National Register of Big Trees in Kentucky.
Mrs. Wallis was known for wise choices in selection of only the best trees to plant, including the Northern Red Oak. It is the most popular of the oaks for the home landscape for its beautiful shape and spring foliage of greenish-red foliage that turns a dark red in the fall. It is also known for its rapid growth, strong wood, and resistance to fungi and insects as it contains tannic acid. It tolerates urban pollution and drought due to its deep tap root.
Oaks have been a part of our culture for centuries. Linnaeus listed red oak as only one of five of the 600 species. Oaks have been a source of ship and structure lumber, furniture, and barrels for whiskey and other spirits. Even the galls are ground for a type of manuscript ink.
This fall, Oakland Farms and The Garden Club of Kentucky are collecting the Red Oak’s acorns to propagate seedlings of the champion. Unlike many tree seeds, Red Oak’s acorns take two years to mature. It is hoped that seedlings of the champion will be available in the future.
The Nannine Clay Wallis Arboretum, 616 Pleasant Street, Paris, is open to the public year-round without charge.
Compost in the Arboretum
The Arboretum hosted the third annual free Kids Day in the Arboretum. What a delight to see so many children searching for clue to the scavenger hunt, helping to make compost, and having the change to wear a beekeeper’s outfit.
The Arboretum has so much to offer as well as a beautiful setting. It continues the tradition of its first owner to plant the latest introductions. As a result, it is considered the ‘finest old-tree collection in Central Kentucky’. It is also a demonstration garden of the newest introductions; providing the public with the best plants to add to their gardens having tested what is more apt to survive than not.
The Arboretum’s demonstrations are not limited to the beauty of the Rain, Butterfly, Hosta, and Monarch Waystation gardens, they play and important part in the environment. Also, environmentally important, and some would say as beautiful as the above gardens, is the Composting Project near the Carriage House. The large three-bin compost complex was built to break down the plant material from the four-acre Arboretum. Composting leaves, small branches, herbaceous plant material and grass clippings reduces the amount of material that goes into the land-fill and provides Arboretum cost-free material that is used to improve the quality of the soil and nourish herbaceous plants in the above beds.
The Compost Bins passive demonstration project is accessible by the Carriage House entrance at the end of 7th Street or through the Arboretum.
The Nannine Clay Wallis Arboretum, 616 Pleasant Street, Paris, is open to the public year-round without charge. For more information go to:gardenclubky.org, Arboretum
Kids Day 2019
The Kids Day at the Arboretum on Monday, July 19, was a huge success according to Joanna Kirby, Chair of the third annual event. Kirby said, ‘Without support of so many, it would not have been the most successful to date. Support came from the Library and Kentucky Bank; Kentucky Department of Forestry; and Paris residents. In addition, the Bourbon County Council of Garden Clubs, Painted Hills Garden Club(Morehead), and many The Garden Club of Kentucky members from all over the state.”
The theme for the day was “The Environment.” It began at the Paris-Bourbon County Library, where Deb Horn coordinated the visit of Smoky Bear and Ranger Phillip Horsely, who showed “A Day in the Forest with Smoky” in celebration of the bear’s 75th birthday. Horn and assistants joined in the activities at the Nannine Clay Wallis Arboretum, where they sponsored stenciling leaves on a tree-decorated T-shirts.
At the Nannine Clay Wallis Arboretum, Kara Sayles, who is the Bluegrass Greensource, Environmental Educator and Rain Garden Project Coordinator, explained the importance of water through selected planting and collecting rain water for our plants. The children joined in watering plants from the rain barrel.
Dee Larking, Bluegrass Greensource Environmental Educator, delighted the children who held red crawler worms while she told the children how worms helped break down plant waste and improve the soil.
Kentucky State Apiarist-Department of Agriculture, Tammy Horn Potter, brought a demonstration hive with active bees, suits for the children to try on, honey, and other bee-related items.
Hydroponics were demonstrated by Dee Biebighauser as the children identified water critters and were shown how to grow their own plants in water. Biebighauser also chaired the day’s activities and coordinated Painted Hills Garden Club members who were in charge of each of the ten activities.
Once again, this year the Kentucky Bank supplied the much-needed water bottles for all at the Arboretum. The Bourbon Council of Garden Clubs members provided a free lunch for all of the nearly 140 children, also supervisors and activities workers.
Smokey the Bear comes back!
Smoke
y enjoyed himself so much last year, that he is returning to Kids Day at the Arboretum on July 29 to celebrate his 75th birthday.
Come and help him celebrate at this free and fun event!
In the Arboretum – July ’19
The Arboretum gets lovelier each month as we go into full-blown summer. Our pollinators would agree with that as they are finding more and more sources of pollen and nectar. Rain has knocked out much of the nectar and pollen from many of the flowers but once they start reblooming bumble and honey bees will return.
Mrs. Wallis had her greatest impact on the garden in the 1930s, so it is appropriate that Monarda “Croftway Pink”(beebalm), 1932 introduction, would abundantly be found in the Arboretum along with Echinacea purpurea(coneflower).
Both are preparing for the third annual (free) Kids Day at the Arboretum, Monday, July 29. We are continuing Mrs. Wallis generosity of inviting children into her garden(Arboretum) to explore and learn about plants and the environment.
This year Kids Day registration will begin 9:30 AM at the Paris/Bourbon County Library with Smokey Bear’s visit and Smokey film, followed by lunch at the Arboretum and Scavenger Hunt that includes a booklet to record the items found and color, plus 10 activities and five educational which include displays and hands: Hydroponics, Composting, Bees, Recycling Rain Garden /Rain Barrel and visit the Carriage House complete with full-size ‘horse’, tack and carriage.
Hands-on activities include the very popular Build-a-Bug, Newspaper Puppet (finger puppet), Painted Tee Shirts (supplied by GCKY and the Library back by popular demand), Coffee Filter Seed Packets(seed for the kids to plant), and Milk Jug Watering Can to decorate to water their plants.
And, a bag to decorate to hold all the things they will make throughout the afternoon. Activities will conclude at 3:00 pm. The day at the Arboretum is open to all children 6-12. They must be accompanied by a responsible adult.
For more information go to: gardenclubky.org/arboretum
Can These Trees be Saved?
Some tips and information from the Arbor Day Foundation about assessing damage to trees after a storm
arborday.org/media/stormrecovery/for-homeowners.cfm
State Champion Red Oak at Wallis Arboretum
The GCKY was presented an award on June 19, 2019, from the Kentucky Division of Forestry for the State champion Northern Red Oak (Quercus rubra) located in the front yard of the Nannine Clay Wallis Arboretum, headquarters of the Garden Club of Kentucky, Inc.
The certificate was presented to Judy Ferrell, Arboretum Chair, and Joanna Kirby, State Headquarters Chair, by Philip Horsley with the Division of Forestry.
