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Dirty Hands Garden Center!
April/May 2002

The earth spirit has been laid down
It is covered over with the growing things,
It has been laid down
The earth is beautiful.
------- Navajo chant

BACK to the earth? Some of us never left! April 22 is Earth Day. Some of us have been around to remember the first Earth Day celebration, back in seventy-….. The same concerns that were around then are still appropriate now-times thirty. Many of us are in areas that are on "drought watch". Water is always a precious commodity that must be preserved and used wisely. We encourage everyone to use drought tolerant plants, as much as possible. In fact, serious thought should be given to xeriscaping. What, you might ask, is that? Xe-ric (zer'ik), adj.of, pertaining to, or adapted to a dry environment. Hence, xeriscaping is the concept of using plant material that readily adapts to reduced available water. Typically, these plants also require little in the way of general care, and little or no use of pesticides, fungicides, etc. Being living things, this does not mean that they need NO water. But once established, they become virtually maintenance free. One of the largest categories of plants useful for this purpose are ornamental grasses. Contrary to popular view, pampas grass is not the only choice. For example:

Miscanthus sinensis 'Morning Light': 4-5 feet . Narrow, vertically variegated leaves of grayish-blue and creamy white. Great as backdrop for other grasses and perennials. Our personal fav! Lovely. Prefers light shade. Zones 5-9.
Miscanthus sinensis 'Strictus' "Procupine Grass": 6-8 feet. Green leaves have horizontal yellow striping. Substitute for Zebra Grass. Striking as specimen. Zones 6-9.
Imperata "Japanese Blood Grass" cylindrical 'Red Baron': 18-24". From a green leaf base arise blood-red spikes of foliage which hold their color throughout the season. Slow spreading habit. Especially striking in masses, with sun shining from behind. Prefers well-drained soil. Also great in containers. Zones 6-9.
Pennisetum alopecuroides 'Moudry': 36" Black plumed variety that tolerates light shade. Blooms later than the species. Self seeds. Zones 5-9.

To compliment these grasses, there are numerous perennials available. At Dirty Hands we carry hundreds of varieties.

Herbs are another group of plants to incorporate among your gardens, whether for culinary, medicinal, or spiritual purposes. At Dirty Hands, we carry a huge selection of ORGANICALLY grown herbs. While organically grown herbs don't always look as "pretty" in the pot, once planted in the earth, they are more vigorous, long-lived, and reliable. In the upcoming newsletters, we will highlight different herbs, as well as their uses for all of the reasons above. This month's newsletter features "St. John's Wort". Our favorite is hypericum perforatum 'Topas': It is the improved herbal strain with bright yellow flowers in July and August. It grows 2-4 " and is a super groundcover that prefers moist, well-drained soil but will tolerate drier conditions. It is long-blooming and attractive to butterflies. Once established it is tolerant of coastal conditions and drought. "We" no longer burn St.John's-wort to clear the air of evil spirits, but the plant still has several interesting uses. Its medicinal purposes are varied, including antibacterial and astringent properties, as well as an anti-depressant in human (Always consult a physician)! As a dye, it produces yellows and reds that can be obtained from the flowering tops and stems. It is ornamental and is being investigated for use as a food preservative. For a quick look at some popular herbs and their use in cooking, click here (Thanks to Bill and Marianne Ritchie!!)

For those of you who were wondering, the PPA Perennial of the Year 2002 is Phlox paniculata 'David'. It is a "summer phlox" that grows 36-48". It has fragrant, bright white flower clusters. It is highly mildew resistant, very vigorous and sturdy. As with all phlox, remove faded flowers to prevent self-seeding and to encourage reblooming. Provide proper spacing to help discourage powdery mildew. Highly attractive to butterflies and hummingbirds. Great cut flower.

For those of you searching for garden art, accessories, and gifts (Mother's Day, Graduations, Weddings, Father's Day, etc.), we have several new lines of goodies, as well as gift certificates available. Our current fav is the Magnetic Poetry Stone Kit. It is a product of the "magnetic poetry" people (you know, those clever words and phrases on our refrigerators). It contains everything you need to create your own stepping stones, plant markers, and such. Click here, for examples. What a bright idea!

At Dirty Hands, we are committed to providing an excellent selection of top-grade perennials, trees, shrubs, etc., at fair prices. We are committed to living and working in a manner that does little harm to our planet, and replenishes what we take. We hope that you share in this philosophy, or will at least give it some thought. As always, we appreciate and encourage your input and suggestions. We truly appreciate your support, and thank you for choosing Dirty Hands Garden Center! Woo-Hoo!
Peace out.
Rock on. April

3 - Dogwoods blooming
5 - Wildflowers for hummingbirds and butterflies
7 - Daylight savings begins
12 - Arbor Day
19 - Hummingbirds back to VA
22 - Earth Day

May

1 - Plant wildlife shrubs and trees (4 p.m. burn law still in effect)
11 - Bluebird broods fledging/Nick graduates from Va Tech!
12 - Mother's Day..."Have you called your momma today? I sure wish I could call mine" -- Bear Bryant

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.

Newsletter Archive:

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).