THE DIRT

Fall Issue 2019, Volume 45, Issue 3

VNLA GMHH Volunteer Project page 6

A Bit of VNLA History - Part Two page 8

Gardens that Welcome

1 Birds & Butterflies page 24
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
PRESIDENT Ralph Fitz-Gerald COMMITTEES
Horsford Gardens & Nursery
Ashley Robinson 2111 Greenbush Road BUDGET AND FINANCE
Ashley Robinson Landscape Designer Charlotte, VT 05445 COMMITTEE CHAIR
PO Box 28 802-425-2811 Nate Carr - Church Hill Landscapes, Inc.
Charlotte, VT 05445 field@horsfordnursery.com 802.425.5222
802.922.1924
arobinsonld@gmail.com Marie Limoge INDUSTRY AWARDS COMMITTEE CHAIR
21 Densmore Drive #21 Ashley Robinson, Landscape Designer
VICE-PRESIDENT Essex Junction, VT 05452 802.922.1924
802-272-8744
Hannah Decker limogemp@gmail.com LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE CHAIR
Fairfax Perennial Farm, Inc. Gabriel Bushey - Crafted Landscapes, LLC
7 Blackberry Hill Road Sarah Salatino 802.233.8551
Fairfax, VT 05454 Full Circle Gardens
802.849.2775 68 Brigham Hill Road MARKETING & EDUCATION
perennialfarm@surfglobal.net Essex, VT 05452 COMMITTEE CHAIR
802-879-1919 Ashley Robinson, Landscape Designer
SECRETARY/TREASURER info@fullcirclegardens.com 802.922.1924

Elise Schadler MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE CO-CHAIRS

Nate Carr
VT Urban & Community Forestry Program Hannah Decker - Fairfax Perennial Farm
Church Hill Landscapes, Inc.
Department of Forests, Parks & Recreation 802.849.2775
287 Church Hill Road
Program Manager
Charlotte, VT 05445
111 West Street PROGRAM COMMITTEE CO-CHAIRS
802.425.5222
Essex Junction, VT 05452 Sarah Salatino - Full Circle Gardens
nate@churchhilllandscapes.com
802-522-6015 802.879.1919
DIRECTORS elise.schadler@vermont.gov
RESEARCH & AWARDS
Gabriel Bushey EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR COMMITTEE CHAIR
Crafted Landscapes, LLC Marlys Eddy - Vermont Technical College
176 South Maple Street Kristina MacKulin 802.728.1207
Vergennes, VT 05491 VNLA/Green Works
802.233.8551 P.O. Box 92 VERMONT CERTIFIED HORTICULTURIST
info@craftedland.com N. Ferrisburgh, VT 05473 COMMITTEE CHAIR
Toll Free: 888.518.6484 Nate Carr - Church Hill Landscapes, Inc.
Marlys Eddy 802.425.5222
Vermont Technical College P: 802.425.5117; F: 802.425.5122
PO Box 500 Kristina@greenworksvermont.org
Randolph Center, VT 05061 www.greenworksvermont.org
802.728.1207
meddy@vtc.edu

THE D
Spring
IR Issue
2016,
Volum
e 42,
Issue T
Connect with the VNLA/
Green Works on Social Media!
1

Advertise with us!

Connect with us, post to our pages, or let us know something
special you would like to share and we'll share it. It's another
Contact the Habi
tat La
Green

ndsc
Dr. Pe

Works
Aw
lle tt Aw

ards
ard
page
5
way for us to help your business thrive! You can find us at ...
apes

VNLA office today!

page
on So 12
1
lar Sit
es

IRT
page

THE D
21

Issue 2
me 42,

Facebook: @greenworksvt & @vermontflowershow

6, Volu
Issue 201
Summer

888.518.6484
Instagram: @greenworksvt & @vtflowershow
5
page

Garden
tary Botanic
The Ro
1

2
 PRESIDENT’S LETTER Ashley Robinson, Landscape Designer

inside
this issue
Board of Directors 2

The President’s Letter 3

The Buzz 4
VNLA Summer Meeting
Dear Fellow VNLA Members & Friends, Recap
GMHH Fall Planting Project
I love fall. In fact, it’s my favorite season. I’ve never seen fall as an end. Actually, it’s the
A Bit of VNLA History -
opposite, for me, a beginning of sorts. September Sun, it’s true there’s something about it,
Part Two
warming & subtle. Its intensity is fading, but the light is not, it’s just getting richer.
VNLA Welcomes New
I do a lot of walking. Member
VNLA Summer Twilight
And as you may guess, I also do a lot of thinking, wondering, smiling and yes, worrying. Recap
I say this only to be honest. Truth and authenticity are vital to growth and awareness.
With Deep Sadness
We are a community of doers, and hey it’s a lot harder to DO than talk about doing, so to that I
say, bring it on! I also say thank you. Calendar of Events

Leonard’s Clippings 15
Thanks to the connectivity of community, we have a healthier, happier, fully alive group of
individuals that together makes a world of difference. We also like to go our own way, which is The Lab 18
commendable and something to be celebrated. All this to say, the strong, hardworking, Observations from
passionate individuals, YOU, the VNLA, is a way to celebrate what it means to be part of a bigger UVM Diagnostic Lab
picture. News from the VT Agency of
Ag, Foods & Markets
Connection in an increasingly unconnected world-socially & physically, is what we need and
crave, without even knowing it. It’s the awareness bit that hides. The Idea Factory 23
Tips, Trends, Food for
Seeing truth, being authentic, aware, assumes you know yourself. Knowing yourself, takes a Thought . . .
lifetime (as Van Morrison wrote) but it also takes a community. Which gets me to why I’m even Garden that Welcome Birds
writing about this: communication, community and connectivity, it’s important, it’s why you do and Butterflies
what you do. We need plants but we also need people.
Strictly Business 27
Back to fall, and why it’s not such a fall? Narrowing the Engagement
Gap

It’s the time for reflection. There is a richness to the colors, a fullness to the gardens, a The Plant Lounge 30
refreshing smell to the air, crisp, clear, clean and SO Vermont. The other thing SO Vermont is Plants for Fall Interest in
VNLA. So as you reflect on your season, friends, family and community, remember our little the Garden
community does really BIG work. Thank you all for your focus, contributions, and support for
OUR Vermont. Enjoy!

Until next time,

Cover Photo: by Kristina

MacKulin. October 3 landscape
installation day for the Green
Ashley
Mountain Habitat for Humanity
volunteer project. See the article
on page 6.
3
 THE BUZZ
the low down on what’s up!

VNLA Summer Meeting Recap

by Kristina MacKulin
We had a wonderful day of and has been profiled in
regional and national
gathering, learning, eating
publications, including The
and having some good fun at
New York Times. Larry has
the Summer Meeting &
also developed the annual
Trade Show on August 1,
conference, New Directions
2019. The meeting was
in the American
hosted by Hannah and Dana
Landscape, which is series
Decker of Fairfax Perennial
dedicated to advancing the
Farm. August seems like a
art and science of natural
lifetime ago! It always feels
landscape design.
good to close up shop for a
day and gather with
Larry spoke about local
colleagues and friends to
plant communities and
talk about the season, hear
shared design projects
some great speakers, visit
that were modeled on
with vendors and see new
regional ecosystems. He
plants and products.
share practical design,
Everyone was in
restoration and
agreement that it has been
management techniques.
a busy planting/ selling
Larry also spoke about
season in our industry this
combining design
year with one of
with the
the biggest
reproductive
challenges being
abilities of plants
finding quality
as well as the
staff.
ecological
processes in play
It was nice to get
that help to
a break from the
create compelling
extreme heat we
and evolving
had been having
landscapes.
as the day began
This type of
with keynote
“give-and-
speaker Larry
take”
Weaner giving the group of 100+ a presentation
approach
entitled “Finding Your Niche: Establishing an
often results
Ecological Focus for Your Firm.” After a break, Larry
in low
then gave a second presentation entitled “Living in the
maintenance
Liberated Landscape.”
and
compelling
We were pleased to welcome Larry, founder of Larry
landscapes
Weaner Landscape Associates in 1982 . He has gained
that allow plants to perform according to their natural abilities
a national reputation for combining ecological restoration with
and liberates clients from having to cater to their landscapes’
garden design traditions. He has received APLD design awards
every need.

4
After visiting with We ended the
vendors we shared a day with the
delicious lunch “Fairfax
together, thanks to Perennial Farm
Lucky Star Catering! Amazing
We are grateful to Race”! Think of
the following it is the
vendors who made Perennial
the trek and were Olympics for
able to join us for the wholesale
day: Agresource, Inc, growers. The
Cobble Creek Nursery, group broke up into three
Gagne Insurance Agency, teams and a friendly
Horsford Gardens & competition ensued. Let’s
Nursery, Medford just say when everyone
Nurseries, New England found out there was a tub
Kenworth, Isuzu Truck of full of iced-cold local
America, OESCO, Prides brews as prizes, the
Corner Farms, River Walk contest got a little more
Farm, and van Berkum serious!
Nursery.
Tasks included:
After lunch we held our
annual live auction with • potting up 12 hosta
proceeds going toward roots, correctly tagging
funding our horticulture- them and transporting
related educational them to the share area
awards. A shout out to • pulling apart 5 pieces
David Loysen, auctioneer of oki peck (wiggle
and his assistants, John wire), used to hold the
Padua, Dustin Helfrich, plastic on greenhouses
and Gabe Bushey. Thanks • pull an order of 25
to many of our members plants and bring to a
and colleagues who designated table.
donated plants, yummy
pies ,zucchini bread, It was pretty hysterical watching
tools, and more! these three teams go at it and it
Thanks also to those was a truly fun way to end the
who broke out their Summer Meeting. While there
wallets! We raised was one team that came out on
$1,393.00 and we top everyone left with a prize!
are very thankful for
everyones’ The Summer Meeting is a one day
participation! oasis in August from the regular
business day. It is a chance to
Afternoon catch our breath, hear some
presentations wonderful speakers, and enjoy the
included “Beekeeping in the Nursery & Beyond” with Ralph company of our colleagues,
Fitz-Gerald of Horsford’s. Ralph is a passionate bee keeper exhibitors, and friends. Thank you
and shared his experience and knowledge on what it takes to be to all who were able to be there
a beekeeper. Concurrently, Hannah and Dana gave a tour of the with us!
perennial farm and shared the ins and outs of what it takes to
run a wholesale perennial farm in Fairfax, VT. Top two photos were the afternoon
sessions; other photos include the
tasks & teams for the Fairfax
Perennial Farm Amazing Race!

5
Green Mountain Habitat for Humanity
Volunteer Project - Fall Planting!
by Kristina MacKulin
On Thursday, and the VPOC used the
students’ plans as their
October 3, 2019, fifty
guide for the
volunteers gathered
implementation of the
together to participate
final design.
in the VNLA’s second
volunteer landscape/
A huge thank you to
design installation
those three VTC
project on behalf of
students for their work
two families who will
on the site plan. A
be moving into their
huge thank you as well
Green Mountain
to the VPOC
Habitat for Humanity
Committee, who spent
(GMHH) homes
many hours over the
located at 28 Railroad
summer finalizing all
Street in Milton, VT. These
the design details, securing
50 volunteers were VNLA
all the donations of plants,
members, VTC students,
materials, equipment, and
and GMHH volunteers. It
hardscaping. Committee
was quite amazing to see
members include: Ashley
what these this group of
Robinson, Landscape
volunteers completed in
Designer and chair, Pat
just one day and we are
Toporowski and Josh
very GRATEFUL for these
Cohen, Vermont Stone &
fifty volunteers who joined
Horticulture, Gabe Bushey,
us for the day!
Crafted Landscapes, LLC,
Marie Limoge, Landscape
With that said, this
Designer, Terry
project did not happen
Solomon, Livescape,
overnight. The VNLA’s
David Berg, Horsford
Volunteer/Outreach
Gardens & Nursery, and
Project Committee
Silvia Jope, Old World
(VPOC) began meeting
Garden Design.
last winter and worked
in collaboration with
VNLA members and
Vermont Technical
associates certainly
College instructor
stepped up to the plate
Pamelia Smith and
and by the time October
students Isaiah
3 arrived, they had
Carbonneau, Hannah
donated everything
Kilburn, and Austin
needed to make this planting a reality. A huge thank you to
Turco. They met on site in late March with the VPOC
the donors below:
Committee and GMHH Project Manager, Dick Shasteen to
conduct a site analysis. From there, the students’ assignment
American Meadows - wildflower seed
was to use the Milton site to develop key principles related to
Ashley Robinson - landscape design/site management
planting design, historical precedent and context. A final
Champlain Landworks - trucking
presentation of the students’ site plans was given in April, 2019
6
 Church Hill Landscapes, Inc. - trucking as providing a full and
Crafted Landscapes, LLC - equipment, site work, stone functional landscape for
diStefano Landscaping, Inc. - stone, shrubs, the two homeowners to
perennials, bark mulch enjoy. This is our
Fairfax Perennials, Inc. - perennials second project in
Full Circle Gardens - perennials collaboration with
Gardener’s Supply Co. - compost bins GMHH and they could
Green Mountain Habitat for Humanity - lumber, tools, not have been more
topsoil thrilled! Landscaping
Horsford Gardens & Nursery - shrubs, trees is an area they do not
Marie Limoge - landscape design/site management have funds for when
River Walk Farm - shrubs, bark mulch they build new
Rocky Dale Gardens - perennials homes. The most
Vermont Stone & Horticulture - landscape they are able to do
design, site work, stone is spread grass seed
Weston Excavating - trucking once a project is
completed.
This landscape project included preparing beds,
stripping sod and spreading topsoil, foundation We are truly
plantings around the entire perimeter of the two humbled and
family home, a front and side yard planting bed grateful to the
edging the sidewalk, excavating for and installing VPOC, VTC
two patios, one for each family, building a divider students, our
between the two patios, seeding a buffer strip donors, members
with wildflower mix, plantings near the and associates who
woodland edge, and installing a stairway made this project a
landing and placing two compost bins. You success in every way.
can view a slideshow of the entire project on One of the
our website: www.greenworksvermont.org. homeowner’s was able
A shout out and thank you to VNLA to join us for the
members who joined us for the planting (in planting day and she
addition to the committee members): Tanya was overjoyed, so very
Retz and staff member from Mama’s Gardens, thankful, and moved to
Caleb from Crafted Landscapes, Macy from tears. Dick Shasteen,
Fairfax Perennials, Linzy Vos from Church Hill GMHH Project Manager
Landscapes, Chris diStefano, his two shared “Again,  I can’t
daughters, and two staff thank the VNLA and
members, Marlys Eddy, VTC folks enough for
Zina Dana and all the VTC their help with this outstanding project. 
students. Everyone was so pleasant to work with
and all worked so hard to achieve the
It is amazing to watch
great results.  VTC students – you
how a group of 50 people
should be so proud – hope you share
transformed this
with your friends on campus”.
landscape in under eights
hours! It is equally Here at the VNLA we will continue to
amazing to see what two seek out these types of projects and
organizations and a group we look forward to our “third”
of volunteers can volunteer project for 2021, yet to be
accomplish, both in determined. We are welcome to any
building affordable new, ideas and/or suggestions.
affordable homes as well
7
A Bit of VNLA History - 1964 - 2005 / Part Two
by Dr. Norman Pellett
In 2005, Dr. Norman Pellett undertook the
task of writing the “History of the Vermont
Association of Professional Horticulturists
(formerly The Vermont Plantsmen’s
Association) from 1964 to 2005. We are
grateful to Dr. Pellett for recording this
history for the VNLA. Part One of this
history was printed in the Summer Issue of
The Dirt. Following is Part Two of that
history as we prepare for 2020 and the 56th
year of the VNLA!
Highlights of the Past cont.
The Vermont Department of
Agriculture/University of Vermont
Extension. Through the years,
representatives of the Vermont
Department of Agriculture and the
University of Vermont Extension Service
(now Extension System) have served as
advisors and supporters of the
organization. Dr. Harrison Flint,
Extension Ornamental Horticulturist,
was instrumental in helping to establish
the VPA. Wilfred Kelly, Plant Inspector
with the Department of Agriculture Plant
Pest Control Division, was a charter
member and active in the early planning.
Since the beginning, a succession of
Extension Service and Department of
Agriculture personnel have been active in
supporting the organization and
cooperating in program development and
education.
Dr. Harrison Flint was Extension
Ornamental Horticulturist from 1962 to
1966. Dr. Norman Pellett was Extension
Ornamental Horticulturist from 1967 to
1980. Dr. Leonard Perry has been
Extension Greenhouse and Nursery
Specialist from 1980 to the present.
These Extension Specialists have
attended most Board of Director
meetings and seasonal meetings of the
organization. They have organized
regional cooperative educational
meetings and tours for members and the
general public, given presentations,
supported flower and garden shows and
participated in many ways.
Department of Agriculture personnel in
the Plant Pest Control Section, later
changed to Plant Industries Division,
have provided continual assistance in
organization, planning and education in
the realm of insects and diseases that
affect plants. Wilfred Kelly was
succeeded by Phil Benedict,
entomologist, then Steven Justis, plant
pathologist who later became marketing
specialist, Jon Turmel, entomologist, Ann
Dorrance, plant pathologist and Scott
Pfister, plant pathologist. Department of
Agriculture people have helped with
promotional programs and pesticide
education and certification. More
recently the Department of Agriculture
has been instrumental in providing
marketing assistance and funds for the
organization.
Green Up Day. VPA members
participated in the early years of the
annual GreenUp Day programs by
displaying posters and distributing bags
from their places of business. Some
garden centers, encouraged by the VPA,
offered discounts to customers on
GreenUp Days as part of the promotion.
VPA Tackles the Issues of the Day.
The Executive Committee (later Board of
Directors) and VPA had been concerned
about unethical practices in the industry
and peripheral industries from time to
time. Dennis Bruckel, as President in
1979-1980, was granted authorization to
issue letters of disapproval mailed to
general contractors and architectural
firms considered to be in violation of
standard bidding procedures and
business ethics.
The VPA in the 1970’s was concerned
about the State Forestry Nursery offering
tree seedlings to the public for low cost
since they were subsidized by the state.
Through negotiation with the
Department of Forests and Parks the VPA
was able to develop a less antagonistic
relationship. In recent times the VAPH
have co-sponsored annual fall workshops
8
on urban trees at the Vermont Technical
College with the Department of
Agriculture and the Urban & Community
Forestry Program of the Vermont
Department of Forests, Parks and
Recreation.
VPA Benefits. The VPA offered a health
insurance program for its member firms
and their employees in the late 1960’s
and 1970’s (exact dates not found). The
program was popular and encouraged
more businesses to join the
organization. The group policy premiums
were lower than individual policies. The
Executive Secretary collected the
premiums and processed the claims for
the insurance company. The program
ceased when insurance company
procedures required increased
administration and it became difficult for
the Executive Secretary to manage.
For several years in the early 1980’s the
VPA purchased “fall planting kits” which
included literature that members could
offer customers to encourage fall
planting thereby extending the sales
season. The October 29, 1982 edition of
The Potting Bench displayed an
advertisement by Smallwood Nurseries of
Williamstown for butternut trees, 2 -1/2
to 4 inch caliper, B&B. Occasionally other
ads followed until it became common
policy to sell ads for the newsletter. The
Board of Directors on September 2, 1985
voted to accept advertising for the
newsletter with prices being $3 for up to
three lines, $5 for 8-1/3 x 3” ads.
Vermont Grown. The VPA started
promotion of “Vermont Grown” plants in
1982-83. Steven Justis, Marketing
Specialist of the Vermont Department of
Agriculture, supplied growers with plant
tags as part of an agriculture promotion
program administered by the
Department. In 2000, the VAPH received
a one time funding of $10,000 from the
Department of Agriculture to redevelop
this program which lapsed in the late
80’s and early 90’s. Growers and
consumers were surveyed to determine
potential effectiveness of the program (p.
5, spring 2000 The Dirt).
Awards. In 1982, the VPA offered the
first college student award of $100 to a
University of Vermont senior student,
Karen Alpert. The award was given to the
student who showed the most interest
and potential in the field of ornamental
horticulture. This first award was
presented by VPA member Holly Weir,
Rocky Dale Gardens and Nursery, Bristol
at the annual University Awards
Ceremony. Starting in 2003, the first
Student Achievement Award was granted
to Vermont Technical College
horticulture student, Jeremy Tinker.
In 1986 VPA instituted an annual
statewide Landscape Contest offering
winners in the Residential and Public
Space categories $400 each. There is no
information about the contest or winners
in subsequent publications.
As membership grew and meetings were
better attended, concurrent sessions
were scheduled at winter meetings for
members with diverse interests. With
more funds available for programming,
featured speakers were sometimes
brought in from greater distance. The
organization paid substantial fees in
addition to transportation and lodging
for some speakers like Dwight Hughes
from Cedar Rapids, Iowa in 1992 who
spoke at the winter meeting.
The Name Change. The organization
voted to change the name to Vermont
Association of Professional
Horticulturists (VAPH) in a close vote at
their August 24, 1994 meeting. It was
hoped that the new gender-neutral name
would also help foster professionalism
throughout all areas of the plant- related
industry in Vermont.
In the Fall, 1997 issue of The Dirt, editor
Charlie Proutt raised the issue of whether
some members met the VAPH bylaws
definition of active members. He said the
bylaws define eligible active members as
“being.... professionally engaged in
propagating, growing, selling or servicing
floral, ornamental, vegetable or fruit
plants.” He was targeting members such
as Basin Harbor Resort, Trapp Family
Lodge or Hildene. In response, Susanne
S. Mandigo, Garden/Grounds Manager of
Trapp Family Lodge wrote a letter to the
editor refuting Charlie’s allegations. She
pointed out that the Trapp Family Lodge
provides horticultural services in form of
plants, supplies, vegetables and
education to their clients. By selling
plants from their greenhouses, providing
vegetables from their gardens and giving
tours for their customers, they qualify as
members. The Trapp Family Lodge
became the site for the 1998 summer
meeting.
Scholarship Program. The VAPH, for
several years, provided a scholarship to
the winning team in the state FFA
Nursery/ Landscape Skills Contest. A
$500 scholarship was provided to
Missisquoi Valley Union High School
team in 1996 to help defray the expenses
of competing at the Eastern States
Exposition held in Springfield,
Massachusetts and at the National FFA
Convention in Kansas City, Missouri.
Vermont Certified Horticulturist
Program. The Vermont Certified
Horticulturist Program was started in
1988 by the VAPH. Bill deVos of
Treeworks was one of the first to pass the
exam. The number of certified
horticulturists grew to 90 in 1993. Thirty
new people passed the test in 1994. The
2004 yearbook listed 82 active Certified
Horticulturists. Dr. Leonard Perry,
Extension Greenhouse and Nursery
Specialist, administers the tests at
summer and winter meetings. Students
can buy manuals adapted from a
University of Massachusetts manual to
prepare for the exams. In 2004, a Junior
Certified Horticulturist program was
proposed for vocational high school
students in Vermont.
Bylaws Amendments. The bylaws have
been amended numerous times
including: January, 1967, August, 1971,
August, 1976, August, 1977, January,
1979, October, 1983, November, 1993,
and February, 2005. Other amendments
probably occurred but dates were not
9
found. The bylaws were sometimes
printed in the annual report.
Two amendments to the bylaws voted in
November 1993 had significant effect of
the length of officer terms. The two new
bylaw changes read: “Members of the
Board of Director shall be elected for a
two year term” and “Members of the
Executive Board may only serve one term
in the same officer position.” The
Executive Board is made up of president,
vice president and secretary/treasurer.
These changes insured continuity while
ensuring changes in leadership. The
bylaws were completely revised at the
2005 Annual Meeting.
Committees. Officers and Board of
Director members have served as
chairpersons for various committees. The
kinds of committees have changed over
time, but some have persisted. In many
cases, the committee chairperson has
been the only committee member while
in other cases other members have
volunteered or been appointed or asked
by the chairperson to serve. Some
committee chairpersons have been very
active while others have accomplished
little.
Executive Committee. The Executive
Committee was the primary governing
body until the name was changed to
Board of Directors as a bylaw change in
the mid-1980’s. The Board of Directors is
elected by the membership after
recommendations by the Nominating
Committee. Other committees that have
existed over time are: Budget or Finance,
Legislative, Program, Garden Show,
Education, Marketing and Promotion,
The Plantsmen’s Promotion Board,
Awards, Evaluation and Planning,
Newsletter, Vermont Certified
Horticulturist. Other committees that
have been appointed periodically
include: Research, Long Range Planning,
and Outreach Programs. The Board of
Directors has infrequently appointed
representatives to the New England
Greenhouse Conference and the New
England Nurserymen’s Association
(NENA).
The Legislative Committee. The
Legislative Committee has been a very
active and beneficial committee for the
members through their activities with
the state legislature. In the early 1970’s,
committee members Richard Stevens,
Norman Hulbert, Wilfred Kelly and other
members led an extensive lobbying
effort. They convinced the legislature
that nurseries and greenhouses were
agricultural enterprises and that plants
growing in nurseries and greenhouses
should not be subject to taxes levied on
merchandise.
VAPH List Serv. A VAPH ListServ was
set up by Dr. Leonard Perry in the spring
of 2000 to aid in communication among
members. Members interested in being
on the list were asked to send him their
email addresses.
Another Name Change. VAPH Board
of Directors in 2000 proposed a name
change to make the organization more
recognizable. The name of Vermont
Landscape and Nursery Association
(VLNA), was offered by member Charlie
Plonski in the fall 2000 issue of The Dirt.
Members subsequently voted to retain
the name of Vermont Association of
Professional Horticulturists.
Marketing. The Marketing
Committee under the chairmanship of
David Boucher of Gardener’s Supply,
proposed an ambitious program
(summer issue of The Dirt, 2001). His
suggestions were to print a brochure
that would list members and explain
what VCH and Vermont Grown means.
A second part was to create a
newspaper insert promoting VAPH
businesses and the VCH program. A
third part was to have promotions
through Vermont Public Radio, April
through June. At the subsequent
summer meeting the members voted
to print a high quality calendar to
promote the organization (Autumn
issue of The Dirt, 2001) which they would
sell or give to their clients.
Unfortunately, members failed to buy the
calendars to distribute and the project
lost a considerable sum of money.
Flower Shows. The organization has
held a garden and flower show most
years since the beginning. The shows
have been the primary funding source for
the organization. The first organizational
meetings in 1963 and 1964 met at the
autumn Chrysanthemum Shows put on
by the Commercial Flower Growers of
10
Vermont. The name of the shows has
changed over the years as well as the
timing. Records were not found for many
of the shows. An annual Flower Show was
held in October, 1967 in Burlington and
in November of 1968 in Middlebury. A
Flower and Garden Show was held in
March, 1970 in Middlebury. My
recollection is a series of spring flower
shows were held in the Burlington
Municipal Auditorium in the late 60’s
and early 70’s. Former President Dennis
Bruckel says “It was a bear to get heavy
items up the steps into the old
auditorium.” Bruckel also remembers
that he and student (now VAPH member)
David Keszey, helped set up the garden
show at the Essex Junction ice skating
rink for one or more years in the 1970’s.
The Flower Show and Plant Sale was held
in March, 1980 and 1981 at the Armory in
Berlin.
The Lawn and Garden Show. The
Lawn and Garden Show was held at the
University Mall in South Burlington in
March, 1985 through 1993. Andrea
Morgante, John Padua and V. J. Comai
were chairpersons for the show in
different years. Exhibitors each made
their own display, but there was no
central display until 1993. In that year,
members organized a central display
and conducted seminars for the public
in a vacant store space. These changes
met with much public acclaim and
resulted in plans for a bigger show the
next year.
The Move to the Sheraton. The first
Annual Flower Show at the Sheraton
Hotel and Conference Center in South
Burlington was in March 1994.
Records show that 4,300 people
attended that show. The 1995 show
attracted over 5,000 people. In 1997
the name changed to The Vermont
Flower Show. The 2000 show
attendance was estimated at 6,000
people and the 2001 show was estimated
at 8,000. The admission fee was raised to
$10 for 2002 when 7,000 attended and
the show broke even.
The 2003 show had a lower attendance
and lost $19,000 putting a serious strain
on the organization’s finances. VAPH
members stepped up to volunteer their
labor, donate plants and raise funds for
landscaping of the Sheraton Hotel and
Conference Center. These efforts resulted
in a reduction of the Sheraton’s invoice
by $21,000, keeping VAPH solvent and
it’s reputation intact. Following the 2003
show, strict controls were put in place
and an event management company was
hired to handle many of the details for
subsequent shows. The 2004 show
attracted 5,300 paid customers and made
a modest profit. The 2005 Flower Show
was well attended and made a profit of
$13,000. A decision was made to move
the show to the Champlain Valley
Exposition site for 2006.
Who are the Members? The
organization’s membership represents a
diverse group of horticultural
businesses. The number of landscape
contractors, nurseries, garden centers
and associated businesses has greatly
increased over the years and their
personnel are the largest contingent of
the membership. Florist members have
usually been few. Most florist businesses
are small and the owners say they can’t
leave their business to attend meetings.
Greenhouse operators have been active,
especially in the first years of the
organization. There are fewer year-
around greenhouse operations in the
state in the last twenty years, but the
number of bedding plant producers has
increased to serve local clientele. Most of
these are not members. Vermont
arborists had a professional organization
which became defunct in the early
1970’s. Arborists have been encouraged
to join the organization, but few have.
Over the years several arborists have
been active in the organization.
Membership in the organization has
always been strongly centered in the
northern half of the state. It has been
especially difficult to attract active
members in Bennington, Rutland,
Windham and Windsor counties.
Members from those counties have been
less likely to attend meetings even when
the meetings were held in central or
southern Vermont. The Executive
Committee has tried various methods to
encourage active participation, usually
without much success.

VNLA/Green Works VNLA/Green Works

Welcomes New Member! Summer Twilight Recap
Jane Sorenson
River Berry Farm/Northeast Pollinator Plants
On
191 Goose Pond Road September
Fairfax, VT 05454 17, 2019 Dan
802-849-6853 Goossen,
riverberryfarm@gmail.com Director of
www.riverberryfarm.com Composting
Active Member Operations
for
Category: Greenhouse Retail, Landscape Architect, Chittenden Solid Waste District led an evening tour at the
Nursery Retail, Nursery Wholesale, UVM Adjunct Green Mountain Compost (GMC) facilities in Williston, VT.

2019 brought big changes for GMC as they have transitioned

to an all wholesale model in an effort to become more
efficient and sustainable. Dan walked us through the
Get Certified in 2020! composting process, from start to finish, and spoke about
what the changes at GMC holds for the future. It is quite the
Don’t delay and
operation!
order your study
The long-term goals of GMC are to manage resources in the
manual today! most environmentally sound, efficient, effective, and
economical manner. With Act 148 going into effect in July,
2020 requiring all Vermonters to compost food waste, GMC/
www.greenworksvermont.org Chittenden Solid Waste District is working toward the
processing of all that extra food waste.
888.518.6484
It was an informative as well as lovely September evening
and we thank Dan and GMC/CSWD for hosting our group!

11
 It’s that time of year again! THANK YOU!
RENEW YOUR VNLA 2019 VERMONT FLOWER SHOW SPONSORS

BIOCHAR GREEN IS THE Presenting Sponsors

Membership
NEW TODAY!
BIOCHAR increases plant yields up Bag Sponsors Media Sponsors Vermont Specialty Food/

RENEW your VCH

to 60% while improving soil health Spirits Sponsor
and sequestering carbon.
Add biochar prior to planting trees
Certification
the garden.
TODAY!
or hemp, laying sod, or digging into
Equipment Sponsors
Seminar Sponsors Supporting Sponsors
Sustainably produced using locally
harvested wood chips.
We appreciate your
continued participation
PART OF VERMONT’S
osphorus Innovation Challenge
We will have 10,000 pounds
and support! Contributing Sponsor

of phosphorus enriched biochar

available in July 2019! GREENSBORO BEND, VERMONT

Renew via mail or on the

INTERESTED? CALL DONNA AT 802 4615553 | GreenStateBioChar.com
In-Kind Sponsors
Agway, Essex
Harvest Equipment
Home Depot, West Lebanon, NH
Prescott Galleries at Verde
Mountain
Agway, Middlebury Horsford Gardens & Nursery Price Chopper/Market 32
VNLA website. Amanda Bates
Aquarius Landscape Sprinklers,
Isaac Paquette Property Services
J. Hutchins Excavating
Prides Corner Farm
Red Wagon Plants
Inc. J. Labrecque Land Management River’s Bend Design, LLC
Ashley Robinson, Landscape Judy Zsoldos River Walk Farm
Designer Kathleen Berry Bergeron Robert’s Tree Farm

All renewals are due by 12/31/19 Aubuchon Hardware, Waterbury

CDL USA
Center for Technology, Essex
Champlain Landworks
Church Hill Landscapes, Inc
Claussen’s Florist & Greenhouse
Cobble Creek Nursery
Kathleen Caraher-Grant
Lamell Lumber
Rocky Dale Gardens
R.R. Charlebois, Inc.
Landshapes S & D Landscapes, LLC
Libby Davidson Sean Krusch Trucking
Linda Ulrich-Verderber Shelburne Athletic Club
Lyme Country Store Shelburne Farms
Marie P. Limoge SJC Garden Services

Participate in the
Crafted Landscapes, LLC
CW Stageworks
David Loysen
diStefano Landscaping, Inc.
2019 Industry Awards Distinctive Paint & Interiors
DoubleTree, by Hilton Burlington
Essex Equipment
Program Evergreen Gardens
Fairfax Perennial Farm
Federated Garden Clubs of
Vermont
Full Circle Gardens
Gardener’s Supply Company
Got That Rental
Green Feet Gardening
Greenhaven Gardens & Nursery
Green Mountain Compost
Marijke’s Perennial Gardens Plus
Masefield Dry Stone Masonry
Melita J. Bass, VCH
Millican Nursery
Milton CAT
Monique Dewyea
Murphy Landscape Design &
Sitework
Nichols Tree Farm
North Branch Farm and Gardens
Northwestern Medical Center
Northern Nurseries, Inc.
Northland Job Corps Center
Ober Woodworking
Patricia A. Hannaford Career Center
Pete’s Pines and Needles Tree Farm
Stowe Theater Guild
Studio Three Architecture
Swenson Granite
The Grass Gauchos, LLC
Trader Joe’s
Trowel Trades Supply, Inc.
United Rentals
University of Vermont Extension
UVM Extension Master Gardeners
UVM Horticulture Club
van Berkum Nursery
Vermont Department of Forest,
Parks & Recreation
Vermont Garden Railway Society
Vermont H’Art
Wright Family Farm
19

Entry Applications available at

www.greenworksvermont.org
Deadline to submit: 12/31/19

12
 With Deep Sadness . . .
It is with deep sadness that I love of his life, and became a
U.S. citizen in the 1970s.
share the news of Matthew de
Matthew found his true calling
Wolf’s passing. Matthew was a
within the garden center
true icon in the Vermont
business selling bulbs (Dutch,
horticultural world and will be
of course!) and became known
dearly missed. In 2017
as a perennial "guru" at garden
Matthew received the VNLA’s
centers in Arizona and several
Allen B. Crane Employment
stretching from southern
Acknowledgement Award. The
Connecticut to northern
VNLA presents this award
Vermont. Along the way, he
annually, upon nomination
garnered many state and local
from VNLA members, and is
awards in recognition of his
sponsored by Claussen’s
vast expertise, and he became
Florist & Greenhouse in honor
widely known as “the
of Allen B. Crane, head grower
Dutchman.”
there for over 42 years. Chris
Conant shares, “Allen was a
As a Vermont certified
great friend, wonderful
horticulturist, his knowledge,
colleague and an incredible
charisma and genuine passion
grower”. Allen passed away in
for his work were
2013 after a year-long battle
unsurpassed. With his
with cancer. This award was
infectious smile and an
established in Allen’s honor to
infamous twinkle in his blue
recognize the employees that
eyes, Matthew turned many of
make a difference in the
his faithful customers into
horticultural industry.
expert perennial gardeners. He worked tirelessly until the
age of 89 and retired earlier this year from the Gardener’s
Matthew was a long-time employee at Gardener’s Supply .
Supply Company in Williston. Those who knew him best
On September 22 Gardener’s held a memorial service in
fondly recall his flawless proficiency of botanical Latin
celebration of Matthew’s life.
and his insatiable penchants for reading, keeping up with
current events (and always sharing his opinion), and
Below is a reprint of Matthew’s obituary.
completing intricate jigsaw puzzles.
Matthew J. de Wolf of Colchester, Vt., passed away on July
He is predeceased by his loving wife, Ginger de Wolf; his
3 at the age of 89 of a brief illness, surrounded by his
parents; and all three of his brothers. Matthew leaves
closest friends.
behind his stepdaughter Sharon Perkins and her
husband, Gary, of Glen, N.H.; and his son Dr. Christopher
He was born October 8, 1929, in Rotterdam, the
de Wolf and his wife, Maria, and grandson Oliver of
Netherlands, to Elizabeth (Dietz) de Wolf and Peter de
Geneva, Switzerland, and granddaughter Kaya of
Wolf. He spent his youth living in Nazi-occupied territory
Vancouver, B.C. He will also be deeply missed by his many
and often shared harrowing tales of those years. Matthew
friends, fellow employees and clients who exclusively
emigrated to Canada in his early twenties, where he
sought his horticultural guidance.
earned a degree in horticulture from Guelph University.
He spent several years in Ottawa, Canada, working for the
Donations to the Friends of Matthew de Wolf Scholarship
Experimental Farm and then in the gardens of the
are encouraged (c/o 476-B Ellsworth Rd., East Fairfield,
governor general of Canada. He was also a private
VT 05448) and will assist deserving candidates who are
gardener for many homes in and around Ottawa. In 1966,
pursuing a horticultural certification.
he moved to the United States with his wife, Ginger, the

13
 CALENDAR OF EVENTS
December 6, 2019 January 28-29, 2020 February 24, 2020 - February 28, 2020
Ecological Plant Conference at Brooklyn Total Pro Expo & Conference Class: NGICP National Green
Botanic Garden New Jersey Convention Center Infrastructure Certification Program
8:30am - 4:30 pm Edison, NJ 8:30am - 5:00 pm
Brooklyn, NY www.totalproexpo.com Tower Hill Botanic Garden
Boylston, MA
January 9-10, 2020 February 6, 2020
www.ecolandscaping.com
31st Annual Landscape Symposium Urban Tree Symposium: The Future of
New Directions in the American the Urban Forest
February 29, 2020
Landscape Tower Hill Botanic Garden
Perennial Plant Association Mid-Atlantic
Bryn Mawr College, Bryn Mawr, PA Boylston, MA
Regional Symposia
www.ndal.org/upcoming-ndal-events/ www.ecolandscaping.com
Towson, MD
January 16-17, 2020 February 13, 2020 www.perennialplant.org
31st Annual Landscape Symposium VNLA Winter Meeting &
New Directions in the American Trade Show July 11-14, 2020
Landscape UVM Davis Center Cultivate ’20
Connecticut College Burlington, VT 05401 Greater Columbus Convention Center
New London, CT Columbus, OH
www.ndal.org/upcoming-ndal-events/ February 22, 2020 www.cultivateevent.org
Class: Seeing is Believing: A Visual
January 8-10, 2020 Garden Design Workshop August 3-6, 2020
MANTS 10:30am - 3pm Perennial Plant Association National
Baltimore Convention Ctr. Garden in the Woods Symposium
Baltimore, MD 21201 Framingham, MA 01701 Lancaster, PA
www.mants.com www.ecolandscaping.com www.perennialplant.org

Cobble Creek Nursery, LLC

W e grow a diverse selection of

B&B trees and shrubs at our
nursery in Monkton, Vermont. We
offer shade trees, ornamental trees,
flowering shrubs and dwarf conifers.
At Cobble Creek Nursery we are known
for quality Vermont Grown plants,
exceptional service and extensive
woody plant knowledge. Stop by for
a visit or give John a call for more
information.

John Padua
991 Tyler Bridge Road, Bristol, VT 05443
phone/fax: 802-453-3889 / e-mail: cobcreek@gmavt.net

14
 LEONARD’S CLIPPINGS!
by Dr. Leonard Perry, UVM Horticulture Professor Emeritus

We had a great one-day my keeping to course

maximums after an out-of-
bus tour September 16 to
control spring with student
the Montreal Botanical
numbers.)
Gardens and Chinese
lanterns display, a
The latest UVM annual
collaboration of myself and
report highlighted some
your association. We had
changes at UVM in
great interest, filling TWO
students from 2012 to 2019:
buses again as last year,
graduate school enrollments
with over 100 attendees.
increased by 15%,
Read and see photos in the
international students
separate article.
increased to over 900,
summer school enrollments
Each semester I give a
increased by 9%, and there
snapshot of the PSS
were a record number of
department focus and
applicants (over 25,000)
student interest, gleaned
with a 44% increase in
from courses (with faculty
online enrollment.
instructor and numbers of
Above: Montreal Botanical Garden Tour - September 16; photo courtesy of
students). Here’s what is VNLA member and tour co-leader Andrea Luchini, Hildene. Groundbreaking occurred
offered this fall, one of the
Below: UVM’s new Multi-Purpose Center broke ground this spring. after spring semester on
more diverse and larger
UVM’s new multipurpose
lineups I can recall: Home
facility (i.e. athletics). The
and Garden Horticulture
Multi-Purpose Center
(Starrett, 127), Introduction
project will bring
to Ecological Agriculture
substantial changes to the
(Izzo, 88), Living
55-year-old Patrick-
Landscapes (White, 19),
Forbush-Gutterson Athletic
Soils in Society (Gorres, 4),
Complex, located at 97
Tractor Safety (DeSantis,
Spear Street in Burlington. 
13), Entomology and Pest
Project highlights will
Management (Chen, 22),
include the construction of
Weed Ecology and
the new Tarrant Center,
Management (Bosworth,
which will be home to
20), Woody Landscape
UVM’s men’s and women’s
Plants (Starrett, 14),
basketball programs, as well
Landscape Design
as host a variety of
Fundamentals (Hurley, 20),
academic, social, cultural,
Forage and Pasture
several graduate level courses such as and entertainment
Management (Bosworth, 12),
the Professional Skills Colloquium programming.  There will also be a
Permaculture (White, 16),
(Neher) and Quantitative Thinking in major renovation of historic Gutterson
Fundamentals of Soil Science (Gorres,
Life Sciences (Merrill). And, of Fieldhouse, and the creation of a
76), Landscape Design for Pollinators
course, there are my usual online three-story shared space between that
(Sorensen, 14), Crop Domestication
offerings Indoor Plants (18), Garden facility and the Tarrant Center.  This
and Ecology (Bishop von Wettberg, 8),
Flowers (26), Flowers and Foliage part of the facility will feature
Introduction to Hemp Production
(23), and Home Fruit Growing (49 in spacious concourses with restrooms
(Lewins, 46), Advanced Agroecology
two sections). (This fall numbers are and concessions, simplified
(Mendez, 23), Soil Morphology
not as excessive in my courses, due to circulation, and a well-appointed
(Waterman, 9). In addition, there are

15
Victory Club room with spectacular
views into both Gutterson and the
Tarrant Center.
Beyond the improvements for varsity
athletes, teams, and fans, the Multi-
Purpose Center will become the hub
for recreation, wellness, and fitness
for the entire UVM campus thanks to
dramatic upgrades and a five-fold
increase in the space dedicated for
health, wellness, and recreational use.   gigatonnes of carbon in areas that
Enhancements will also include study
areas and lounges that will support
the academic and social objectives of
the Department of Athletics and the
other University units that use the
facility.
A $4 million gift from UVM alumnus
Chuck Davis (Class of 1972) and his
wife Marna allowed the UVM
Foundation to meet—and exceed—the
initial fundraising goals stipulated by
the University of Vermont Board of
Trustees.  In recognition of their
generosity, the Multi-Purpose
Center’s Recreation and Wellness
Center will be named in honor of
Chuck’s mother, Phyllis “Phiddy”
Davis (Class of 1945).   In the past, Crowther and his
The Multi-Purpose Center project is
being funded through a combination
of private philanthropic gifts and
other institutional sources.  To date,
the UVM Foundation and Department
of Athletics have raised over $32
million in commitments for the
project—more than has been raised for
any capital project in UVM’s history.  Check it out, and perhaps children you
Got some money, like this project?
Then learn more about how you can
support the Multi-Purpose Center
project—including about
opportunities to name spaces within
the Center—at https://tinyurl.com/
yxs57fka.
In case you need another reason to
sell and plant more trees for clients,
here’s an article from Science
magazine on July 5
(science.sciencemag.org/content/
365/6448/76).
“The restoration of trees remains for each of the over 3000 babies born
among the most effective strategies in the city each year
for climate change mitigation. We (www.thebulletin.be), and Ethiopia
mapped the global potential tree broke a world record on July 20 this
coverage to show that 4.4 billion year by planting over 353 million trees
hectares of canopy cover could exist in 12 hours (www.nytimes.com on
under the current climate. Excluding 7.30.19).
existing trees and agricultural and
urban areas, we found that there is
room for an extra 0.9 billion hectares
of canopy cover, which could store 205
would naturally support woodlands
and forests....Our results highlight the
opportunity of climate change
mitigation through global tree
restoration but also the urgent need
for action.”
Lead scientist of this study, Prof. Tom
Crowther at the Swiss university ETH
Zürich, pointed out that we can make
a change and not have to wait for
politicians to act and scientists to
come up with solutions. “Individuals GROWING FOR OVER 40 YEARS
could make a tangible impact by Phone (207) 499-2994 • Fax (207) 499-2912
sales@piersonnurseries.com • www.piersonnurseries.com
growing trees themselves, donating to Mailing Address: Physical Address:
forest restoration organizations and 24 Buzzell Road 291 Waterhouse Road
Dayton ME 04005
Biddeford ME 04005
avoiding irresponsible companies.”
CARRYING A FULL LINE OF B&B AND CONTAINER
PLANTS READY TO BE DELIVERED TO YOU
NATIVE PLANTS FERNS & GRASSES
colleagues estimated there are about 3 SHADE TREES PERENNIALS
FLOWERING SHRUBS WETLAND PLANTS
trillion trees on earth, and with this EVERGREENS BROADLEAFS
study the current researchers estimate
there is room for over one trillion Check our website for our
most recent availability
more. And a global youth group (password: pni2019)
(www.plant-for-the-planet.org) has Or contact our office if you
this as one of its goals with its Trillion would like to receive our
weekly availability emails
Tree Campaign
(www.trilliontreecampaign.org).
know may want to get involved with
them, and work with you and our
industry to help plant more trees or
just to support this effort.
You can find several other reviews of The oldest and largest nursery
in the Northeast Kingdom!
this topic and more facts by searching
online. Some examples of steps B & B Apple Trees For Sale!
globally being taken are that Ireland
2”-3” caliper
plans to plant 440 million trees by New cultivars and heirloom
2040 (www.irishtimes.com), Milan varieties available
Italy plans to plant 3 million new trees
by 2030 (AP news), the city of Brussels Route 14 * Craftsbury, VT
802-586-2856
Belgium has pledged to plant a tree lapointnursery@gmail.com
16
 Greetings from Gardener’s Supply
Brian: “It really is about the personal relationships with our customers. Everything else is secondary.”
That’s been Brian’s motto over his 31 years in the wholesale industry. A Vermont Certified Horticulturalist,
Brian has in-depth knowledge of industry trends, plants, pricing, pest and disease identification and has a
keen sense for finding the plants you need for your projects. Brianm@gardeners.com

Chris: Responsible and committed, sharp with numbers and analysis, Chris is ready and attentive to your
questions and requests. A veteran with 11 years at Gardener’s Supply, he will be your primary contact for
e-mail communication, taking plant requests, writing up plant quotes, and will be the coordinator of our
new delivery program. Chrisr@gardeners.com

Lezlee: Lezlee Sprenger returns this year at the forefront of our sales office. A master gardener with
over 12 years of industry experience in garden and floral design, Lezlee owned her own landscape
company and has been a commercial customer of ours for years. Don’t hesitate to talk to her about plant
combinations, design and color, and installation specifics. Lezlees@gardeners.com

Commercial Division
Spring/Summer Commercial Hours
Weekdays 7:00am–6:00pm, Sat. 8:00am–6:00pm, Sun. 9:00am–5:00pm

472 Marshall Avenue, Wiliston, VT

802-658-2433 • wholesale@gardeners.com

tempfile_10932930.indd 1 17 4/1/19 10:13 AM

 THE LAB
putting it under the lens . . .

Observations from the UVM Plant Diagnostic Lab

by Ann Hazelrigg, Phd.

Oak wilt, a lethal disease caused by the fungal pathogen
Ceratocystis fagacearum, has been identified in several
locations in New York. New Hampshire and Vermont nurseries,
landscapers and gardeners should be on the lookout for
symptoms of this destructive and fast-moving disease. https://
www.dec.ny.gov/docs/lands_forests_pdf/owfactsheet2.pdf
group can die within a few weeks to six months of becoming
infected.
The fungus spreads from oak tree to oak tree by root grafts, by
beetles feeding on sap (nitidulids) at open wounds or by oak
bark beetles feeding on leaves of healthy trees. Root-grafted
oak trees usually die within 1-6 years after the first oak is
infected and can expand rapidly, moving up to 50 feet each
year. Once inside the tree, the oak wilt fungus grows in the
xylem (water conducting cells) of the tree, plugging up the
vascular system and impeding the flow of water and nutrients
to the crown of the tree. The leaves turn brown at the tips, with

The disease was first noted in Wisconsin in 1914 and has

become well established through Texas and the Midwest,
killing thousands of oaks. In 2008, the disease was identified in
Glenville, NY, less than 50 miles from the Vermont border.
Although the infected trees were quickly destroyed, new
infections were detected five years later in the same location
and within a few miles of the original site. The disease has also
been found in several towns on Long Island, in Brooklyn and in
Suffolk County, NY.

Oak wilt is fatal for all oaks in the red oak group. According to
Dr. Leonard Perry, Horticulture Professor Emeritus from UVM,
hardy common examples in this group are the scarlet oak
(coccinea), shingle oak (imbricaria), pin oak (palustris), northern
red oak  (rubra), shumard oak (shumardii) and the black oak
(velutina). White oaks are less vulnerable but are not immune.
Above: Foliar symptoms of oak wilt in red oak, Utah State
Hardy and common examples in this group include the true
University. www.bugwood.org
white oak (alba), swamp white oak (bicolor), bur oak
Below: Dying oak wilt infected tree. William M. Cesla,
(macrocarpa), chinkapin oak (muhlenbergii) and the English oak Forest Health Management International,
(robur). When infected, the white oak group typically takes www.bugwood.org.
several years to succumb to the disease whereas the red oak

18
the base usually remaining green. Leaves may wilt, curl and
drop and death can occur within a few weeks of infection.

The year following infection, gray to black spore mats of the

fungus grow under the bark of the trees (primarily red oak),
causing the bark to crack, exposing the mat. The fruity scent of
the fungus attracts sap beetles, which can then carry the
spores of the pathogen to healthy trees. Oak wilt can be also be
spread through movement of firewood.

Oaks should not be pruned in the spring or summer when the

fungal mats and beetles may be present. To prevent root grafts,
trenching can be used to sever roots of individual or groups of
trees, but the main control of the disease at this point is
removing infected trees. In the future, if the disease becomes
more prevalent systemic fungicides may become warranted.

If you see any suspect trees, please contact the UVM Plant
Diagnostic Clinic https://www.uvm.edu/extension/pdc, VAAFM
or VT Forest and Parks.

References include http://nyis.info/invasive_species/oak-wilt/

https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/oak_wilt_disease_1

Fungus Mat growing on the wood for an infected

oak tree. T.W. Bretz, USDA Forest Service,
www.bugwood.org.

field@horsfordnursery.com

19
News from the VT Agency of Ag, Foods & Markets
by Judy Rosovsky, VT State Entomologist
In April of 2019 the Plant Industry and Vector Management
programs moved from our office and lab space in Berlin VT to
the new Vermont Agricultural and Environmental Lab (VAEL) in
Randolph Center, just below the playing fields of Vermont
Technical College. Our address there is 163 Administrative
Drive, Randolph Center, VT, 05061. The building is locked, so if
you want to drop off samples or just come by to say hello and
see the new facility, be sure to call ahead to make sure that you
can get in. Our phone numbers are listed on the main doors to
both floors. Stop by and see the new facility.
Personnel:
Some personnel changes have
taken place; including the
retirement of state apiarist David
Tremblay. A new position has
been created by the legislature,
called the Pollinator Health
Specialist. The person filling this
position is charged with creating
a comprehensive strategy to
improve the health of Vermont’s
pollinators, guiding the state
Addison County Forester Chris
apiarist program, and providing Olson and Forest Entomologist
education and outreach to Trish Hanson examine an EAB
relevant audiences. We have infested tree in Bristol, VT.
hired Brooke Decker to fill this
position. Brooke has been an apiary inspector for the last three
summers and is a member of the Vermont Beekeepers
Association, and we welcome her to this important new
position.
And my beloved colleague and friend Trish Hanson, the Forest
Entomologist for the Agency of Natural Resources Department
of Forests, Parks and Recreation has retired. Trish has a long
history of positive and pleasant interaction with VAAFM
Entomologists, and while I deeply regret her absence, I wish her
well in her new endeavors.
Hemp:
Things have been moving and shaking in the hemp world. The
Agency issued over 900 grower registrations and over 200
processor registrations so far in 2019. During the 2019
legislative session amendments were made to the Title 6,
Chapter 34, https://legislature.vermont.gov/statutes/chapter/
06/034), which are summarized here: https://
legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2020/Docs/ACTS/ACT044/
ACT044%20Act%20Summary.pdf
20
The hemp program has some new faces. Bob Shipman will be
the Hemp Program Compliance Specialist helping to set up the
Cannabis Quality Control Program, including certification of
laboratories that conduct testing, establishing thresholds for
contaminants and developing a risk based analysis for
contaminant testing, protocols and procedures for reporting
results. And Mike DiTomasso will be the Hemp Program’s
Agricultural Resource Management Specialist focusing on
outreach, inspection, enforcement and registration. 
Vector Management:
Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) is a potentially deadly virus
and has been found in the states surrounding us (MA, NH, NY),
but has not been found in the 2019 mosquito survey in VT. And
out of over 2900 mosquito pools in VT, only 4 were found to be
positive for West Nile Virus. It is still important to protect
yourselves against mosquito and tick bites; make it a habit and
you’ll avoid the diseases that mosquitoes and ticks carry. For
more details on EEE, please see https://www.cdc.gov/
easternequineencephalitis/tech/factsheet.html.
Pests and Diseases:
Forest tent caterpillar numbers
have dramatically dropped,
confirming that the recent
outbreak is at an end. And
despite lower winter mortality
rates of only 70%, hemlock
woolly adelgid is still confined
to a relatively limited
geographic area in southern
Vermont.
Emerald ash borer (EAB) has
been found in several new
locations: in addition to Ash tree with characteristic EAB
infestations in central Vermont, serpentine larval galleries,
Grand Isle County, and epicormic sprouting and D-
Bennington County, EAB has been shaped exit holes.
found in Derby Line in Orleans County and in Bristol in
Addison County. The Federal program that oversees Federal
pests, U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal Plant Health
Inspection Service (USDA APHIS), is still considering
deregulating EAB. As such it is no longer paying for contractors
to hang up the purple boxes that are used to monitor EAB.
This summer VAAFM, in conjunction with the local USDA
APHIS office, UVM Extension and ANR’s FPR, coordinated
volunteers to hang purple traps. Adults were found in Derby
Line, near the known existing infestation, and in Alburgh,
further north of the known infestation in South Hero. Thanks
to all participants in this sticky effort.
Trace Forwards:
(1) pet care products used for preventing, destroying,
repelling, or mitigating fleas, mites, ticks, heartworms,
or other insects or organisms;
(2) personal care products used for preventing,
destroying, repelling, or mitigating lice or bedbugs;

When nursery stock is found (3) indoor pest control products used for preventing,
to be infested with Federally destroying, repelling, or mitigating insects indoors; or
regulated pests or diseases, a
(4) treated article seed
procedure known as a trace
forward is conducted. To comply with this new state law, the Agency has reviewed
Nurseries records from the and reclassified neonicotinoid-containing products. Any
source nursery are examined, product that does not meet the exemptions above that contains
and the nurseries that received thiamethoxam, dinotefuran, acetamiprid, imidacloprid or
potentially infested plants are clothianidin are now restricted use and applications can only
notified. This summer two be made by certified applicators. Sales of products in Vermont
trace forwards were initiated are also restricted to certified applicators and records of
for Chrysanthemum white rust applications must be made by Class A dealers. Agency staff has
(CWR). Some of the plants sent notified pesticide registrants of the re-classification and will
to Vermont did have symptoms begin inspecting marketplaces to assist with compliance with
of this disease. In its early the new law.
stages it looks like a pinhead-
sized, inconspicuous blister, If you have any questions about any of the information in this
but in its later stages there is article, please contact Judy. Rosovsky@vermont.gov.
nothing subtle about it.
Recipient nurseries were
notified and inspected. Three Things to know about Van Berkum Nursery
1) We are passionate about what we grow, from New England
addition to the CWR, we had a Woodlanders to Wicked Ruggeds.
trace forward of boxwood 2) We specialize in healthy NH grown perennials, personal service,
Above: Chrysanthemum white and extensive plant knowledge.
blight, caused by the fungus rust infected chrysanthemum. 3) We have friends in low places. (ribbit).
Calonectria pseudonaviculata. Below: Boxwood with Volutella
Boxwood plants located near leaf blight.
known infested plants were
shipped to two nurseries in
southern VT; those nurseries were notified of the shipment and
advised to have the plants tested. Boxwood is susceptible to
various diseases, and thanks to Ann Hazelrigg, Volutella leaf
blight was diagnosed on some plants in a VT nursery. This
disease can be treated by cutting back the affected vegetation
and applying a general fungicide. Boxwood can be attacked by a
psyllid leaf miner that causes the terminal leaves to curl, and
there is a boxwood tree moth that has been causing
consternation in Canada. If you are not sure what is affecting
your plants, you can always ask Ann or myself for assistance.

Reclassification of Neonicotinoid-containing
Pesticide Products:

In accordance with Act 35 of the 2019 Vermont legislature, the

Agency of Agriculture has been required to classify
neonicotinoid-containing pesticides as state-restricted use in Van Berkum Nursery • 4 James Road Deerfield, NH 03037
Vermont, unless they are: LLC
(603) 463-7663 Fax 7326 • salesdesk@vanberkumnursery.com
www.vanberkumnursery.com

21
!"#$%"&'()$)**#"+'!"$,'
-./+)0"+)'()$)**#"+'1$/2)$0'
'
' GET OUT OF THE
CLASSROOM AND INTO

' YOUR FIELD.

Earn your associate degree in

' Landscape Contracting.

3'4+"567)$$8'9#++':/";'<'!"#$%"&='>?'@ABAB' Visit vtc.edu/landscape-design

or contact admissions at (800) 442-8821.

C@DECBFED33A'
G)$)**#"+%"$,H0I$%J+/7"+K*)L' Small College. Big Outcomes.

22
 THE IDEA FACTORY
tips & trends, food for thought…

Nursery/Greenhouse Tip!

Use flashing tape when putting together pieces of

ground fabric. The rubbery tape adheres easily and
instantly bonds the seams together! It’s weather
proof (will probably out last the fabric) and allows no
wind to get underneath!

Use it to fix rips, tears or around post and poles to

prevent weeds from growing !

Dana Decker

Fairfax Perennial Farm

Check it Out! The Perennial Plant Association

has chosen the
The Best Performers and Favorites from
Cornell University’s 2019 Plant Trials - 2020 Perennial Plant of the Year!
courtesy of Greenhouse Grower:
https://tinyurl.com/y3ltnnnr
Aralia cordata ‘Sun King’

VT Urban & Community Forestry 2020

Emerald Ash Borer Management
Grants. Deadline to apply 1/17/20
https://tinyurl.com/y3clm87c

The Vermont Small Business

Development Center offers training,
workshops and specialty services to
help manage and market your business.
https://www.vtsbdc.org/specialty-services/
A unique plant for shade gardens, this golden
beauty works as a colorful complement to
Hosta and other shade loving plants.

23
Gardens that Welcome Birds and Butterflies
By: Judith Irven, VCH; Photographs: Dick Conrad
A Designer’s Notebook
This column in The Dirt is a place where
we can share landscape design ideas that
work for us and for our clients.
People love the flowers they grow in
their gardens—an ever-changing palette
from spring to fall—and by
contrast, the stark beauty of
winter.
But birds and butterflies
bring a special and
ephemeral magic to any
garden— they are like the
icing on the cake The
opportunity to observe these
winged visitors as the
seasons come and go can be
an endless source of
pleasure and wonder, both
for ourselves as well as for
our clients. Indeed my
clients often specifically
request a garden that will be
The mixed border in Judith’s garden contains many pollinator’ friendly
‘bird and butterfly friendly’.
flowers as well as Rosa glauca (a great source of rose hips for the birds).
Here some of the seasonal
highlights in my Goshen
garden which could be replicated in
gardens everywhere:
The waning weeks of summer have been
pure delight, as butterflies and
hummingbirds savored those last mellow
days of the season.
It was early September as I watched a
lone Monarch butterfly surrounded by a
consort of ‘Painted Ladies’ all feasting on
a large patch of Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’
Sedum, while nearby half a dozen
Monarchs fluttered above the tall stands
of Vernonia noveboracensis (New York
ironweed) and Eutrochium purpureum
(Joe Pye Weed). Meanwhile
hummingbirds zipped all around, also
seeking nectar from the late summer
flowers.
By the third week of September—when
the Fall Equinox signaled the official end
of summer— the hummingbirds had
already set out on their epic journeys to
Central America. And in early October
the final Monarchs departed on their
prodigious odyssey to winter in central
Mexico.
Fall is when I see various sparrows and
warblers foraging on the ripening seeds
of grasses and perennials, including a
huge stand of Molinia caerulea and the
spent flowers of Heliopsis helianthoides
outside our kitchen window.
Around the middle of November (once it
is consistently cold and I am convinced
that the big bear, who lives in the forest
near here, should be hibernating) I fill my
bird feeders with sunflower seed. And
within five minutes the first chickadees
of the season arrive! Chickadees are
regular visitors at our feeders all winter
long, often joined by house finch, siskin,
goldfinch and the occasional grosbeaks.
Also each year in early November I can
count on a host of robins and cedar
waxwings discovering the succulent fruit
on the six female Ilex verticillata ‘Winter
Red’ shrubs that edge the corner of our
driveway. A single male—‘Southern
Gentleman’—is all it takes to pollinate
these six females.
24
Throughout the winter other birds come
and go. Last December we watched in
amazement as an emboldened flock of
wild turkeys landed in the ‘Donald
Wyman’ crabapple tree near the house
and proceeded to devour the remaining
fruit.
Then, somewhere around
the Spring Equinox our bird
mix changes, as sparrows
and other small birds arrive
and scratch through the
mulch beneath the shrubs in
search of a succulent insect
meal.
In early May I rehang the
hummingbird feeders for the
summer; this past May the
first hummingbird appeared
on May 7. And by the third
week of May the garden
becomes alive with Tiger
Swallowtail butterflies—
perfectly timed for them to
feast on the emerging
flowers of both Syringa
meyeri and Syringa patula
‘Miss Kim’.
Soon they are joined by many others—
including Painted Ladies, Monarchs,
White Admirals, Mourning Cloaks—
which also remain in the garden
throughout the summer, visiting the
many different perennials to feed on the
nectar.
And it is also fun to watch the different
nesting patterns of the various birds. For
the past three years, a pair of catbirds has
made use of the dense trio of Syringa
patula ‘Miss Kim’ as a safe spot to raise
their brood. While, all summer long, a
song sparrow—perching atop the
Chamaecyparis pisifera ‘Boulevard'—kept
watch over his growing family in a nearby
group of spireas.
Meanwhile the acrobatic phoebes, who
tuck their nests under the eaves of our
barn, delighted us as they dart down and
capture their insect prey in mid-air.
Every year, I watch in awe and delight as
these and many other small miracles
unfold before my eyes.
Supporting Wildlife in our Gardens
Beyond passively enjoying these winged
visitors, we can strive to make our
gardens truly hospitable habitats that
will encourage birds and butterflies not
only to visit but also to stay awhile.
If everyone does this, taken together
our gardens can make a vital
contribution to the larger environment.
Today, as human development
relentlessly expands—everything from
housing and roads to farming—it
fragments our wild places, making it
harder and harder for all kinds of
wildlife to find places where they can
successfully reproduce and
maintain their species. By
creating a network of wildlife-
friendly gardens, people can
actively help these beautiful
creatures propagate and
flourish.
And, more and more, my clients
are asking for gardens that will
attract both birds and
butterflies, as well as bees. Here
is some of the advice I offer
them:
1) Grow Native Plants.
Back in 2007, Douglas Tallamy,
professor of Entomology and
Wildlife Ecology at the University
of Delaware first published his
landmark book ‘Bringing Nature
Home,’ which was based primarily
on his own extensive research.
Tallamy was also the keynote
speaker at our 2014 VNLA winter
meeting.
In this eminently readable book he
starts by describing how, for many
birds, a major component in their diet
comes from caterpillars and other
insects.
In turn, the individual insect species,
which of course includes butterflies,
lay their eggs on very specific plants
that their emerging caterpillars have
evolved to eat. And, because insects
evolve relatively slowly, most often these
will be native plants that have been here
for hundreds of years.
Hence, for many birds and butterflies,
native plants form the bottom tier of the
food chain. And including a good mix in
our designs—both perennials and woody
plants—will indirectly contribute to the
food supply of many kinds of butterflies
and birds. His book provides extensive
lists of plants that support different
insects and birds.
2) Plant Trees and Shrubs that will
Produce Fruit or Nuts.
Especially in the colder months, fruit and
nuts are another important food source
for many birds. And there are literally
dozens of shrubs and trees that can
flourish in Northeastern gardens
which are also excellent food
sources for birds.
Check out the excellent book:
‘Trees, Shrubs and Vines for
Attracting Birds’ by Richard
DeGraaff which gives a detailed
description of over a hundred
species, including several of my
personal favorites such as
Amelanchier sp, Malus sp, Ilex
verticillata, Sorbus americana, and
two native species of viburnum—
the Viburnum nudum var:
cassinoides and Viburnum opulus var.
Trilobum—plus several kinds of roses.
3) Adopt Bird and Butterfly
Friendly Gardening Practices.
Finally here are six simple things I
advise my clients to do to make their
gardens more appealing to birds and
butterflies:
✦Avoid the use of chemical
insecticides and herbicides as many
have environmental consequences
Top: The native Viburnum nudum var: cassinoides is
that go far beyond their intended
a very attractive shrub that each fall provides a rich
source of berries for the birds. targets. I am still mindful of Rachel
Carson’s ground-breaking book
Center: Rosa glauca is a great source of rose hips for ‘Silent Spring’, first published in
the birds. 1962, that documented the adverse
environmental effects caused by the
Bottom: A single Monarch surrounded by a consort of
indiscriminate use of pesticides.
Painted Lady butterflies feasting on Sedum ‘Autumn
Joy'. While the pesticide mix available
today is different, the concerns for
the wider environment still remain.
25
 ✦ Even in winter many flowering perennials and ornamental
grasses are a source of viable seeds. Wait until spring before
cutting them back so that they can contribute to the food
supply for birds that winter in our region.
✦ Don’t be afraid to leave the garden a bit messy, especially in
winter! Butterflies as well as other insects often overwinter
in garden debris and dead leaves. And, once the ground
warms in springtime, returning sparrows and other small
birds enjoy scratching in last year’s detritus in search of
insects to eat.
✦ Lawns take both time and energy to mow and upkeep, while
they contribute very little to the overall environment. So, if
my client has a large lawn, I will suggest they let part of it
revert to meadow, mowing this area just once or twice a
season. In a year or two it will be full of beneficial wild
flowers and grasses. And—for the lawn they do mow
regularly—I suggest they raise their mower blade to 3
inches or higher. Not only will this result in healthier
greener grass, but the lawn will also support small
amphibians, insects and worms that also contribute to the
food chain.
✦ Birds need safe cover, both for nesting and also to avoid
predators. When planting shrubs, rather than dotting them Above: A Painted Lady butterfly atop the Sedum’ Autumn
around singly, mass them together in irregular groups of Joy'. Below: Tiger Swallowtail butterflies arrive in Judith's
garden just as  the Syringa meyeri lilac begins blooming in
three or five.
late May.
✦ We all know about the need to support the many kinds of
pollinators— especially the different species of wild bees
that in many cases are nearing extinction. As they visit our
flowers bees and butterflies (as well as hummingbirds) are
looking for nectar, and then, in so doing, they also
distribute pollen to adjacent flowers. Thus planting flowers
identified as ‘pollinator-friendly’ will bring both bees and
butterflies to your garden. Check the informative website of
UVM’s Jane Sorenson at http://www.riverberryfarm.com/
pollinator-plants-at-river-berry-farm/ for charts of
pollinator-friendly garden flowers by height, color and
bloom-time.
Plant it and They Will Come
By deliberately including plants that provide food for birds and
butterflies in our designs and then following beneficial
gardening practices, we can all create gardens, both for
ourselves and for our clients, that will entice both birds and
butterflies to visit and then encourage them to stay.
And in so doing we will be help create a network of gardens that
collectively make a critical contribution our wider ecosystem.
Together Judith Irven and her husband, Dick Conrad, nurture a
large garden in Goshen, VT. Judith is a landscape designer and VT
Certified Horticulturist. She also teaches Sustainable Home
Landscaping for the UVM Master Gardener Program. She writes
about her VT gardening life at www.northcountryreflections.com.
You can reach Judith at judithirven@gmail.com.

26

Narrowing the Engagement Gap
by Jacki Hart
I have developed a new
engagement tool – and
want to share it with you. I
mentioned it in a recent
business summit  - and you
could have heard a pin
drop. So I know I’m on to
something.
As many of you know, I
spend a lot of my time
working with leadership
teams, business owners
and other business
coaches – all focused on
improving team engagement.
I also listen. I listen to frustrated
employers, supervisors and managers. I
listen to frustrated employees, youth and
students. I also listen to frustrated
unemployed (but employable) young
adults looking for an appealing job.
So, I took a step back this past summer,
and did a lot of thinking. I spent a lot of
time researching and collaborating with
other engagement experts and working
on developing new programs aimed at
helping to solve this engagement gap
problem.
Amid my musings, I’ve developed a
brand-new idea – and I want to share it
with you here – hoping for some
feedback from my readers...
To Pay a Bonus or Not to Pay a Bonus:
Many have asked this question. Myself
included. Many times over when I was
running my own landscape company. I
recall sitting in a huge ball room at
Congress many years ago, watching
Charles VanderKooi using a flip chart up
STRICTLY BUSINESS
no kidding …
on stage (yes, it was a LONG time ago,
pre-dating PowerPoint – lol). Charles was
running through a complicated,
intricately calculated production bonus
system. I tried it. And it failed to
motivate my team in the way it was
supposed to. I also sat transfixed in years
afterwards, watching JPL (Jean Paul
Lamarche) do the same, with different
math and logic – and a more trendy tool
– a huge rolling dry erase board. I tried
his system also. And it worked. That is
until I realized that a few of my staff
were actually counting on the ‘bonus’ as
a part of their annual reported income in
order to get a loan. Not much of a
motivator when a bonus is an expected
right…. There was nothing wrong with
the solid math of JPL’s bonus system –
the problem was the sense of entitlement
a bonus created.
Many of us have watched and learned
from Mark Bradley of TBG on how he
handled developing a brilliant
productivity bonus system, that saw his
foremen, office staff and production staff
all contributing to earning bonuses at the Skipping back to the paying bonus
end of each year – crew by crew. It
27
worked well for his
company… but didn’t
seem to fit my estate
maintenance contract
market.
I tried many different
ways of ‘profit
sharing’ – and
thankfully never
wandered into the
abyss of giving shares
of my company to
employees as
motivation.
So, taking all of the potential bonus
systems and calculations into account,
how can we as employers use money to
motivate a younger generation who
doesn’t value money over company
culture and how they feel working for
you?
I think I’ve found a key part of the
answer. Knowing what I do about the
‘millennial mindset’, and the upcoming
Generation Z – after a huge amount of
research over the past several years – the
under30’s in your company are looking
for different things than just money.
They don’t aspire to material things the
way their parents or grand parents did.
They aspire to being valued. While cash
is nice, if they’re paid a living wage, it’s
revered not nearly as much as belonging,
being appreciated, being a part of
something bigger than themselves.
Contribution is the name of the
engagement game. Intrinsic
contribution.
question – here’s what I think will work
much better: My newest business
management tool to share is : My Career
Development Fund©. Here’s how it works:
Every employee has a ‘career dream’
intake meeting with HR/business owner.
Learn what they aspire to. While many are
wafting along, without career aspirations,
most are able to tell you what they’d like
to learn about. Understand where they’re
starting from. Make a connection with the
skills/knowledge needed to pursue their
own interests. Set a ‘budget’ which is
actually the money you’d otherwise have
spent on a bonus – whether it’s using a
signing bonus for joining the team, a
referral bonus for bringing in a new
employee, a production bonus, profit
sharing etc – and ‘deposit’ it into their
career development fund. Set parameters
for how the money can be spent ie post
secondary classes, fitness classes, special
interest, industry training, certification,
apprenticeship expenses etc. Also set a
policy on what happens if they don’t use
it all up. Can they roll it into the next
year? Do they get a pay out if they leave?
(I’d suggest ‘no’).
My idea is to take money you were already
going to spend, and invest it in your
people – whether it’s for business related
skills improvement or not. Show them
you care. Show them their aspirations are
important to you. Know that few will
likely stay for more than several years
(yep, that’s the current stats) – and be ok
with that. Invest in your staff intrinsically
– like never before – and I’m convinced
that you’ll reap the rewards with
developing a team who stays longer, and
where the back door is softly closed.
About the Author: Jacki Hart is president
of Consulting by Hart in Ontario, Canada.
She is an entrepreneur, advisor, business
consultant, and workshop facilitator with a
28
career in the Green Industry spanning 35
years. Jacki is one of Canada’s first women
to hold the North American Green Industry
certificate for business management
excellence. Jacki also manages the
Prosperity Program and Peer to Peer
Network for Landscape Ontario.
Jacki writes for other trade magazines and
will be a regular contributor to our business
column. CBH is a consulting firm that
“passionately believes that entrepreneurial
success depends on sustained forward
momentum - across all areas of business -
both the visible and the invisible. To learn
more about CBH visit
www.consultingbyhart.com.
OESCO IS YOUR PARTNER IN PRUNING
Manual, electric, anvil & bypass pruners, pneumatic loppers & more
From brands you know & trust, including:

Whether you’re pruning landscapes,

invasives, fruit trees or shrubbery,
CALL OESCO.
WE’VE GOT WHAT YOU NEED.
s Accurate cutting
s High quality materials
s Super-sharp blades
s Durable, long-lasting tools
s Ergonomic & low impact

5 since 1954

YEARS

Call us for a catalog

800-634-5557
www.oescoinc.com

N orthernurseries
N
A Division of The Robert Baker Companies

Wholesale Horticultural Distribution Centers

Quality Plant Material Complete Selection of Hardgoods Stone Products & Stone Display
Landscape Lighting & Water Garden Supplies Spyder Delivery Competitive Pricing
2234 N Hartland Rd. PO Box 1048, White River Jct., VT Phone: (802) 295-2117 Fax: (802) 295-4889
Member of VAPH w w w. no r t h e r nnu r s e ri e s . c o m Manager: Mike Trombly Sales: Josh Gilman
29
 THE PLANT LOUNGE
wiry stems, hairy leaves and bodacious blooms. . .
Plants for Fall Interest in the Garden
by Marie Limoge, Landscape Designer
When many of us think of the
late Summer/Fall garden, we
think of the same few
perennials, shrubs and trees,
such as the plants listed below.
Rudbeckia- with their brilliant
golden petals and beautiful black
center cones that persist long
after the flower has faded.
Sedums- such as Autumn Joy or
Neon, that have clear pink flowers which
don’t show up until many of the other
plants in the garden have long since
stopped flowering.
Asters- a mostly problem free perennial
that returns year after year; with their
bright purples and pinks showing up in the
landscape from late August until October.
Rhus aromatic / Fragrant Grow-lo Sumac-
this plant is now commonly used for
stabilizing banks and has beautiful fall color,
as well as being drought tolerant and deer
resistant.
Hydrangea paniculata- This plant truly shines
during autumn. The clear white flowers slowly
become pinker and pinker as the days get
shorter. You can’t drive by a cemetery here in
Vermont without noticing them.
And let us not forget the countless varieties of
Acer, Fraxinus and Gleditsia and the rainbow
of colors they turn this time of year.
While these tried and true show stoppers are
always a delight this time of year, there are
many other plants that shine in their own
way; whether it’s a bright colored berry, the
change in foliage color, or the very late season
bloom, these plants can extend fall interest in
your landscape.
Heptacodium miconioides or
Seven-Son Flower is a deciduous
small tree. It reaches heights of
15-20’ tall and spreads of 8-12’
wide. This tree thrives in full to
part sun in zones 5-8. Small
white flowers emerge in clusters
of seven in late September. After
the flowers drop all their petals,
the sepals remain and turn a
bright pink color, making this
tree really stand out into
October. The beautiful tan exfoliating bark
gives this tree some winter interest as well.
Hamamelis virginiana or Witchhazel is a
deciduous woody shrub that blooms in
September – November, depending on the
year. This plant has tiny, bright yellow
flowers that emerge at the same time as it’s
fruit. There are many medicinal uses for
astringents made from the bark and leaves
of this plant, including skincare and treating
insect bites and poison ivy. This Witchhazel
grows from 15 – 20 feet tall with a similar
spread and grows well in zones 3 – 8. The
American colonists used the bendable
branches of this shrub when dowsing for
water.
Callicarpa americana or Beautyberry is a very
unique shrub. The lovely purple berries at
emerge in the late fall, make this plant stand
out in the garden. The berries are non-toxic
and will attract birds. They also persist into
winter, giving us all a bit of color to enjoy in
the otherwise snowy landscape. Beautyberry
shrubs typically grow to four to five tall and
wide and does best in zones 5 – 8. They like
full to partial shade and moist soils. This
shrub is also quite resistant to diseases and
Top: Heptacodium. pests. The flowers of the Beautyberry only
Middle: Hamamelis. bloom on new wood, so the shrub is typically
Bottom: Callicarpa. pruned in the late winter. Here in VT you can
30
treat this shrub like you would yellows and oranges and it
an Annabelle Hydrangea, and isvery striking.
prune them down to several
Nipponanthemum nipponicum
inches from the ground in the
or Montauk Daisy / Nippon
fall. They will grow back and
Daisy is a hardy shrub like
be just as beautiful the next
perennial in zones 5 – 9. The
year.
flowers appear in longer
Platycodon grandiflorus or stalks that protrude from the
Balloon Flower blooms from coarsely serrated thick leaves
June into September that give this plant a very
depending on the year. This dense looking form. They
perennial grows best in full to bloom in the very late
part sun and likes moist, well summer and into the fall with
drained soils. Deadheading white daisy flowers. This
the spent flowers will help to perennial can reach heights
prolong the bloom time into of 1.5 – 3’ tall and does best
the fall. This plant may need in full sun. Montauk Daisies
to be staked if the flowers make great cut flowers. This
become too heavy. While plant is great for a back of the
Left: Platycodon. Right: Nipponanthemum
Balloon Flowers are not garden plant, as it often loses
commonly considered a fall leaves at the bottom of the
interest perennial, I love the contrast of the foliage color and plant and will benefit from having shorter plants in front of it.
the remaining deep purple blooms. The foliage turns to vibrant

187 Main Street, Colchester, VT 05446

(802) 878-2361 - www.claussens.com
Open 7 Days a Week

Specializing in Vermont Grown

Spring & Fall Bulb Plants ~ Easter Lilies ~ Bedding Annuals
Perennials ~ Hanging Baskets ~ Herbs ~ Vegetable Plants
Hardy Chrysanthemums ~ Poinsettias
*

NATURAL FERTILIZERS and SOIL AMENDMENTS

ENVIRONMENTALLY COMPATIBLE PEST CONTROLS

FRUIT and VEGETABLES More info on

Claussen’s carries the area’s largest selection of top-quality tropical
LANDSCAPING NORGANICS.COM
foliage and flowering house plants – for sale and rent. or call for the location of your
NURSERIES nearest wholesale distributor
We sell commercial plant material at competitive prices to local
landscapers, interiorscape designers, garden center and flower shops in
ORCHARDS
Vermont, New Hampshire and New York. Open daily, Claussen’s TREE and TURF CARE ph: 802. 222. 4277
provides friendly, experienced customer service, along with weekly and MUCH MORE... email: info@norganics.com
delivery service to all of our commercial accounts. * for a complete list of WSDA & OMRI listed products fax: 802. 222. 9661
Visit us in person or online at www.claussens.com please see our website.

31
 A Professional Association for
Green Works’ mission is to support and strengthen the
Growers, Retailers, Garden Centers, Nurserymen
horticulture industry
and Women, Landscapeof Vermont by Contractors,
Designers and creating greater
awareness of the benefits
Landscape of landscaping
Architects, Maintenance Experts,and promoting
Arborists, Turf Specialists, Industry Representatives,
PO Box 92, N. Ferrisburgh, VT 05473 the professional services and products of our members.
P: 802.425.5117 | F: 802.425.5122 Allied Trades People, Students, and Educators.
E: kristina@greenworksvermont.org
32
www.greenworksvermont.org visit us atwww.greenworksvermont.org
www.greenworksvermont.org