The latest dirt from...

Dirty Hands Garden Center!
November 2002

"The sun and stars that float in the open air,
the apple-shaped earth and we upon it, surely the drift
of them is something grand."

...Walt Whitman

As we drift into Autumn, a kind of peace begins to settle within us all. We know that we have done what we can for this year, are reaping the bounty of our efforts, and prepare for another new season. The past few months have been challenging, and hopefully, have brought us many lessons. The most important of these is that Mother Earth still rules, with an iron hand. We should not take any of her blessings for granted, including water. We need to show respect for our earth, ourselves, and eachother, by working WITH, not AGAINST the elements. We all know the benefits of xeriscaping, etc. Now, let's try to put them into practice! Many of the plants that embrace the concept are native to this area. Additionally, they provide marvelous interest, beginning about now.

Hamamelis viginiana, Common Witch-hazel, is excellent for naturalizing in shady areas, though it will thrive in both sun and shade. It blooms after the leaves have fallen, October to November; 3/4 " wide, 4-petaled yellow flowers that are wonderfully fragrant. It reaches about 8-15 feet in height and spreads about 7-14 feet. It may be trained as a multi-trunk specimen.
Aronia arbutifolia, Red Chokeberry, is a common understory plant, growing to 6 feet high, with many vertical stems forming spreading clumps. White flowers in the spring are followed by bright red berries in fall and early winter, popular with birds. Narrow, oval leaves provide excellent bright red fall color. The juice is a terrific source of Vitamin C, and is a good exchange for cranberry juice. If you enjoy habitat gardening, this is a must!
Itea virginica, Virginia Sweetspire is a deciduous shrub of upright, slender form, growing 3-5 feet tall and in summer bears fragrant, creamy white panicles of white flowers. The color that the foliage presents in the fall is breathtaking! It is suitable for mass planting, particularly in wet, low places, but thrives almost anywhere.

While not a native, Koelreuteria paniculata, known as Goldenraintree, (hails from China and Korea), has made itself extremely useful as a small ornamental tree in our parts. It rapidly reaches heights of about 20 feet, in very little time. It boasts a convex crown and a single or divided main trunk. The important news is that the alternate, compound foliage turns brilliant shades of golds and yellows in the fall. This, along with the showy seed pods make it a winner. As if that were not enough, it splashes fabulous pyramidal clusters of yellow flowers in mid to late summer. It is deciduous, and is not used enough!

On an exotic note, some of you may be familiar with the use of essential oils. These are the oils produced by various plants that can be used in numerous ways, including medicinal, cosmetic, and spiritual. New interest in these age-old methods is inspiring many to seek alternatives to "traditional" ways. Tea Tree Oil is a fascinating product, which serves many purposes. A must have, for all first aid kits!

For fun, long-lasting fall and winter color, try these two new varieties of violas:

"Tiger Eyes" is a head-turning show of small, yellow blooms with black veins radiating from the center, just like a tiger eye. This uniform viola overwinters well, with excellent early-Spring flowering.
"Velour Blue Bronze" sets itself apart with luxuriously deep blue petals, washed in shades of golden bronze.

Let these two mingle, to create a fabulous garden display!

With the holidaze fast approaching, make sure you make Dirty Hands Garden Center one of your first stops for gifts! We are pleased to be the exclusive source of several new lines, including 100% botanical essential oils. The uses and applications of these miracle-workers are endless, as well as timeless! We will have more on this, later.

We now carry a full line of all-natural soaps, balms, lotions, and such. These hail from Australia, and are great for everything "down under" and "around". We have some adorably packaged gift sets for the cooks on your list, as well as those that move from garden to kitchen.

While we still are in drought conditions, the days become shorter, the temperatures become cooler, and our thoughts turn to the fast approaching holiday season. With it, come the hope and faith that all will be better, in the not-too-distant future. Wishing you rain, good health, and dirty hands!

Folks, please remember to ALWAYS bring plant and bug samples in a plastic bag. It is very important that everyone be aware of the possibility of contaminating businesses, homeowner properties, and the Earth in general (think of it as a horticultural condom).
THANK YOU!

As always, all information given in the newsletter and on the website in general apply primarily to the zone 7/partial zone 6 regions of Virginia.

There are many new and fabulous things in store for you, at Dirty Hands Garden Center. We always appreciate your suggestions and opinions. Please feel free to contact us directly at Dirty Hands Email. Or, better yet, come see us in person!
Woo-Hoo!
Peace out.
Rock forward.

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As always, if you have questions, please feel free to contact us directly, either through the contact form, or by calling 804-598-8945, or visiting us at 2603 Anderson Hwy., Powhatan, VA. 23139 (This information pertains to the greater Richmond, Va. area and may vary slightly with each locality).