JC Raulston Arboretum e-Update

June 2007

In This Issue

New JC Raulston Arboretum Assistant Director Chosen

The JC Raulston Arboretum is pleased to announce that Mark Weathington, currently director of horticulture at the Norfolk Botanical Garden, Norfolk, Virginia, has accepted the position of assistant director of the JC Raulston Arboretum, effective July 23, 2007. Mark earned Bachelor of Science degrees in both horticulture and sociology at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in 1995, and a Master of Science at Virginia Tech in 1999. He has been at the Norfolk Botanical Garden since 1999, and has been director of horticulture since 2003. Mark is also an adjunct faculty member at Tidewater Community College, Chesapeake, Virginia, where he teaches two courses in landscape plant materials and an introductory horticulture class. Mark has regularly contributed horticulture articles for the Virginian-Pilot newspaper, Virginia Gardener magazine, and HR magazine. Prior to his appointment at the Norfolk Botanical Garden, Mark was the horticulture supervisor at the Virginia Marine Science Museum (1998-1999), horticulturist at the Atlanta Botanical Garden (1996-1998), assistant manager of Laurel Creek Nursery, Blacksburg, Virginia (1991-1995), and a graduate assistant at Virginia Tech (1995-1996). Please join the JCRA staff in welcoming Mark to the JC Raulston Arboretum. – Denny Werner, Ph.D., Director

Membership Changes on the Way

Membership revenue accounts for large portion the JC Raulston Arboretum 's unrestricted operating money. Each year, your membership money supports the maintenance and renovation of our dynamic garden spaces, important research, and outreach programs to the public. To continue our growth and keep up with rising costs, it is necessary to increase the cost of the Individual and Family/Dual memberships this year.

Starting on July 1, 2007, Individual memberships will become $40.00 and Family/Dual memberships will be $60.00. Even with the increase, your JCRA membership is still a great deal with discounts to many local nurseries and businesses, free admission to all the Friends of the Arboretum Lectures, discounts for workshops, and admission to the Annual Plant Distribution where members usually take home many free plants that retail for over $75.00 if you were to buy them.

In addition, another level of membership has been added at the $1,000.00 level that will be known as our Founder level. If you purchase a membership of $1,000.00 or more, your gift will have a lasting effect for years to come. Two hundred and fifty dollars of each of these memberships will now be directed toward the JCRA Endowment for Excellence. When this endowment is fully funded, the Arboretum will have a dependable stream of income to continue our growth.

Thank you to all of our current members, we truly appreciate your support! – Autumn Keck, Associate Director of Membership and Fund-raising Events

Once in a Lifetime

Agave salmianaThe Arboretum's Southwestern Garden is thriving in all this heat and has several interesting surprises this month.  High in the sky a giant flower spike towers at least 20' over the garden from the impressive pulque agave, Agave salmiana.  Flowering is no small feat since it usually takes10-15 years to occur.  Like most agaves, the main plant dies after flowering, but the party is not over.  Vegetative reproduction continues, as pups (suckers) are produced at the base of the plant. Look closely and you will see that a few of these are curiously also in flower.

Extremely drought tolerant, pulque agave has been growing at the Arboretum since at least 1996.  The beautiful dark green rosette needs room to spread since it can reach 6' in diameter and 4' tall in our area.  It is one of several types of agave used to make a fermented alcoholic drink called pulque that has origins back to the time of the Aztecs. 

The flowering bonanza continues throughout June with more southwestern plants in bloom.  Prepared yourself to be charmed by the red yucca (Hesperaloe parviflora), false yucca (Hesperaloe funifera), needle agave (Agave striata var. striata), and the thorn-crested agave (Agave lophantha) to name a few.

Coming Attractions – Highlights of June

Hydrangea quercifolia 'Little Honey'Klein-Pringle White Garden
Albizia coreana –Korean mimosa
Hydrangea quercifolia 'Alison' – oakleaf hydrangea
Hydrangea arborescens 'Annabelle' – mophead smooth hydrangea
Lagestroemia 'Natchez ' – U.S. National Arboretum hybrid crepe myrtle

Lath House
Acanthus spinosus – bear's breeches
Euonymus chinensis– Chinese euonymus
Hydrangea quercifolia 'Harmony' – oakleaf hydrangea
Rohdea japonica 'Nobori ryu' – scared lily
Schizophragma hydrangeoides 'Moonlight'– pewter-leaf Japanese climbing hydrangea

Magnolia Collection
Hypericum (Cappiello hybrid) – St.John's wort
Magnolia grandiflora 'Little Gem' – southern magnolia

Mixed Border
Hydrangea macrophylla'Blue Billows' – French hydrangea
Jasminum floridum – showy jasmine
Gardenia augusta – Cape jessamine

Other Areas of the Arboretum
Buddleja 'Lochinch'– Lochinch Castle butterfly-bush – W04
Hydrangea paniculata 'Daruma' – panicled hydrangea – Su7
Koelreuteria paniculata 'Beachmaster' – dwarf golden raintree – E23, W07
Poliothyrsis sinensis – pearl-bloom tree – W12, E48

Perennial Border
Asclepias tuberosa subsp. tuberosa – butterfly weed
Echinacea purpurea 'Stewarts Pink' – eastern coneflower
Monarda 'Jacob Cline' – bee balm
Rudbeckia maxima – great coneflower

Scree Garden
Salvia chamaedryoides – blue oak sage
Salvia greggii 'Dark Dancer', 'Diane', 'Lipstick', 'Teresa', and 'Flame' – autumn sage

Southwestern Garden
Agave salmiana – pulque agave
Agave striata var. striata – needle agave
Callistemon 'Woodlander's Red' – hardy bottlebrush
Hesperaloe parviflora – red yucca
Tamarix ramosissima – tamarisk

This show is free. Visit often. – Nancy Doubrava, Interpretive Specialist

June Calendar

Raleigh Rose Society 60th Annual Rose Show – June 2, 2007 (Saturday) – 1:00 PM-4:00 PM – Free

Join the members of the Raleigh Rose Society for their 60th Annual Rose Show.  Enjoy horticultural and arrangement exhibits in addition to education and membership booths with gardening tips and American Rose Society and Raleigh Rose Society information. At the end of show all roses sold for a dollar a stem.

Friends of the Arboretum Lecture – June 21, 2007 (Thursday) – 7:30 PM – Free for members, $5.00 for nonmembers

"The JCRA's Grass-roots Master Plan" presented by Harriet Bellerjeau, Rick Boggs, Suzanne Edney, Jeff Evans, Beth Jimenez, Robert Mackentosh and Matt Roberts, Grass-roots Master Plan Design Committee. Time for the JCRA to begin a new era with the presentation of the Grass-roots Master Plan. Meet the JCRA Design Committee: Harriet Bellerjeau, Rick Boggs, Suzanne Edney, Jeff Evans, Beth Jimenez, Robert Mackintosh and Matt Roberts. They want to thank everyone who participated in coming forth with exceptional and exciting ideas that made this Grass-roots Master Plan possible. Included in their presentation will be descriptions of the expanded Asian Valley; the Central Entrance; the green Ellipse; the extended Mixed Border, the Plantsman's Woods; the double Perennial Walk; the Annuals Sweep along with Mt. Raulston to name a few of the transitions which will improve the face of the JCRA for future generations. Please come to the lecture to understand and de-mystify the process of development from conception to final design.

Please visit the "Calendar of Events" section on the JCRA Web site for a complete listing of our upcoming programs.

May 2007 Wrap Up

Gala in the Garden

A beautiful day for a fabulous event! The 2007 Gala in the Garden was a great success. With over 650 people enjoying gourmet food, wine and spirits, and the soothing sounds of the Southern String Band, the Gala kicked off the spring event season wonderfully. This year, we raised over $60,000.00 from our sponsors and over $28,000.00 from the silent auction. A complete listing of the Gala's sponsors and auction donors is available on the Gala's Web page.

This event was possible because of all the hard work of the Gala committee led by honorary co-chairs Jim and Kathy Deal and event co-chairs Mark and Julie Fleming. In addition, there was countless hours of preparation that was done by the dedicated JCRA volunteers and staff.

Thank you to everyone who attended or contributed to the 2007 Gala in the Garden in any way. – Autumn Keck, Associate Director of Membership and Fund-raising Events

JC Raulston Arboretum e-Updates are published electronically every month for everyone interested in the Arboretum and are e-mailed to the Arboretum's members. To remove yourself from this mailing, please write Christopher Todd Glenn.

© June 2007, JC Raulston Arboretum

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