R EYNOLDAG ARDENS The G ardener of Wake Forest Universityreynoldagardens.org/journals/2009-winter-journal.pdf · spring and fall, with pretty rays (petals) in golden orange hues

GR E Y N O L D A G A R D E N S

o f W a k e F o r e s t U n i v e r s i t y

ardener¦sWinter2009

J O U R N A L

2009: The Year for Learningto Grow Your Own Food

Judging from the number of articles that have recently appeared in newspa-

pers and magazines, and from the increas-ing number of questions we have receivedover the past few months, it’s clear thatthere has been a resurgence of interest ingrowing food. While many of our parentsand grandparents grew their own food as amatter of course and passed their knowl-edge from generation to generation, some-how much of the knowledge and many ofthe skills that helped them provide good,healthy food have been lost in recent years.Many people now find themselves wantingto grow food but unsure of how to go aboutit.

When Reynolda was established in theearly twentieth century, one of Mrs.Reynolds’ goals was to help people in thearea learn to grow food of all kinds, fromthe most basic farm crops to the finest fruitsand vegetables. She accomplished this byinviting the public in for demonstrationsand classes and opening the gardens andfarms on a regular basis.

The tradition continues, with informationnow shared through publications, programs,and an open invitation to the public to visitthe gardens at any time during daylighthours, year-round. Three articles in thisissue focus on growing food, and several ofthe winter and spring programs at Reynolda

Beautiful Foods—Edible Flowers

by Michelle Hawks, RGWFU horticulturist

The culinary use of flowers dates backthousands of years, with the first recordedmention in 140 B.C. Many cultures haveincorporated flowers into their traditionalfoods. Asian dishes include daylily buds.Ancient Romans used mallow, rose, andviolet flowers. Italian and Spanish culturesgave us stuffed squash blossoms. In India,rose petals are used in many recipes.Chartreuse, a classic green liqueur devel-oped in France in the seventeenth century,includes carnation petals as one of its“secret” ingredients. And dandelion was oneof the bitter herbs referred to in the OldTestament of the Bible.

Not so long ago, flowers were actually anessential ingredient in southern cooking.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 16 CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

The

CONTINUED ON FOLLOWING PAGE

DAYLILY FLOWERS HAVE A SLIGHTLY SWEET TASTE.

Gifts received July 1, 2007through June 30, 2008

BenefactorAnonymousAnonymousMr. and Mrs. Bruce M.

BabcockMr. and Mrs. F. James BecherMr. and Mrs. Royall R.

Brown, Jr.Mr. and Mrs. Craig E.

EisenacherForest Garden ClubGarden Club Council of

Winston-Salem and Forsyth County

The Pfefferkorn Foundation

PatronMr. and Mrs. John BurressMr. and Mrs. J. Scott CramerMrs. Patricia R. DixsonDr. and Mrs. Joseph B. and

Mary M. DudleyMrs. Robbin FlowLittle Greens Garden ClubGrace and John McKinnonMr. and Mrs. Kenneth F.

MountcastleMr. and Mrs. James L.

PoindexterMr. Dalton D. RuffinDr. Richard B. WeinbergJoAnn and Bryan Yates

SponsorMrs. Eben AlexanderMr. and Mrs. Leslie M.

Baker, Jr.Dr. and Mrs. B. R. and

Gayathri BaligaSandra and Gray BoyetteDr. and Mrs. Malcolm BrownMr. and Mrs. Thomas H.

Crichlow, Jr.Dan and Teri Emmi

Gardener¦sJ O U R N A L

Page 2


Mrs. John H. FeltsRobbie and Dave IrvinKeith and Ruth KookenMrs. Gail Allen LakeGail Lybrook and

David HobbsDr. and Mrs. William McCallMrs. Betsy Ivey SawyerMr. and Mrs. Andrew J.

SchindlerBrice and Susan ShearburnMrs. Nancy SpencerMs. Kathryn Kendrick StrengMr. and Mrs. Cornelius F.

StrittmatterVillage Tavern, Inc.Mr. and Mrs. William R.

WatsonDr. and Mrs. Dick and

Mary Weaver

FamilyMrs. Emily H. AllenAnonymousBill and Louise BazemoreMichael and Stephanie

BrooksMr. and Mrs. Jimmy

BroughtonMr. and Mrs. Shasta M.

BryantMrs. Agnes S. ButlerMr. and Mrs. Robert CashMr. and Mrs. James A.

Cavenaugh, Jr.Mrs. Pauline G. ChapmanClaire and Hudnall

ChristopherBill and Nancy ColvinMr. Larrie W. DawkinsJames P. and Joyce H.

DickersonDr. and Mrs. J. T. Dobbins, Jr.Frank E. DriscollFlower Lore Garden ClubMrs. Margaret P. FosterTom and Julia FredericksRobin and Bart GanzertMr. and Mrs. Dick GlazeHoward GrayMr. and Mrs. William R.

GriffinDr. and Mrs. Charlie and

Ginny GunnMs. Wanda W. HackbarthMr. and Mrs. F. Borden

Hanes, Jr.Sally and Steve HarperJames and Janette HarrisDrs. Annette and Robin

HastieHerbal Friends

mine. If you are unsure if it is edible, thendo not eat it. Never use a non-edible floweras a garnish. You must assume that if a guestfinds a flower on a plate of food, s/he willthink it’s edible. Always remember to useflowers sparingly in your recipes. Digestivecomplications can occur with consumptionof large quantities. Caution is always thebest policy.

Do not eat flowers ¦ obtained from a general florist. With

the widespread use of pesticides andfungicides by commercial growers, it’s important to select flowers from a supplier who grows them specifi-cally for consumption;

¦ that could have been exposed to animal excrement;

¦ that have had pesticides or fertiliz-ers sprayed on them, unless these chemicals have been specified for food consumption;

¦ harvested from the side of the road, where they have been exposed to trash, fumes, and chemicals;

¦ even those that are generally consid-ered edible, if you have any allergies,without consulting your physician;

¦ that show signs of disease or insect damage.

A Little of Reynolda for Your HomeYour best bet is to grow the flowers yourself,so you know they’re safe to eat. Among thehundreds of varieties of flowers in the gar-dens at Reynolda, we grow a few that areconsidered edible. Many will be included inour Spring Plant Sale. These all grow well inour area.

BasilDepending on the type, the flowers areeither bright white, pale pink, or delicatelavender. The flavor of the flower is milderbut similar to the leaves of the same plant.Basil also has different varieties that havedifferent flavors, like lemon and mint.Sprinkle them over salad or pasta for a con-centrated flavor and a splash of color thatgives any dish a fresh, festive look.

When I was growing up, one of the mostmemorable treats of early summer was mygrandmother’s fried squash blossoms withher coleslaw and sweet, iced tea. Dipped inegg and flour and fried in olive oil withonion and garlic, the blossoms have a sweet,nutty flavor that is completely unique.

Flowers as a garnish make any dish lookspecial on your table. Be sure the flavor ofthe flower compliments the dish. Here are afew ideas to beautify your recipes and perkup your taste buds. You’ll find more in theplant list below.

¦ Place a colorful gladiolus or hibiscus flower in a clear glass bowl and fill with your favorite dip.

¦ Sprinkle flowers in your green salads for a splash of color and taste.

¦ Freeze whole, small flowers in ice cube trays for a pretty addition to punches and other beverages.

¦ Add to flavored oils, vinaigrettes, and marinades shortly before using.

¦ Decorate cakes and fine candies with candied or crystallized flowers.

To prepare the flowers, pick them early inthe morning, when their water content is atits highest. Bathe them gently in a saltwaterbath and immediately drop them into icewater for one minute. Dry them on a papertowel. For best results, use your flower petalsimmediately, or store the whole flower in aglass of water in the refrigerator overnight.

PrecautionsThere are a few precautions one should con-sider before harvesting or using any flowers.First and foremost, be certain you knowyour flowers, as not all flowers are edible.Some can cause serious stomach problems,and some are quite poisonous. Examples ofwhat not to eat: foxglove, bleeding heart,poison ivy, elderberry, mistletoe, and jas-

Beautiful Foods—Edible Flowers

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1


Page 3


BorageLovely cornflower blue, star-shaped flowershave a cool cucumber taste. They’re won-derful in punch, lemonade, sorbet, dip,chilled soup, and gin and tonic.

CalendulaThis is a wonderful flower to grow in thespring and fall, with pretty rays (petals) ingolden orange hues. Flavors range fromspicy to bitter, tangy to peppery. Sprinklepetals on soups, pasta or rice dishes, herbbutters, and salads.

ChamomileThe flowers are small and daisylike, with asweet apple flavor. I love them in my tea.

ChrysanthemumsColors vary widely, from red, white, andyellow, to orange. Taste ranges from tangyto slightly bitter, faint peppery to mild cauli-flower. Rays should be blanched first andthen scattered on a salad. The leaves canalso be used to flavor vinegar.

CilantroLike the leaves and seeds, the flowers have astrong herbal flavor. Use the leaves andflowers raw, as the flavor fades quickly whencooked. Sprinkle to taste on salads, beandishes, and vegetable dishes.

DayliliesFlowers are slightly sweet, with a mild veg-etable flavor, like sweet lettuce or melon.Some people think different colored blos-soms have different flavors.

LavenderSweet, floral flavor, with lemon and citrusnotes. Flowers look beautiful and taste goodin a glass of champagne, with chocolatecake, or as a garnish for sorbet or ice cream.

Lemon Verbena Tiny, cream-colored, citrus-scented blos-soms, leaves, and flowers are steeped as anherb tea and used to flavor custards.

NasturtiumsPlants come in varieties ranging from trail-ing to upright, flowering in a multitude ofbrilliant sunset colors. The flowers have apeppery flavor.

PansiesThe slightly sweet,grassy flavor andmyriad colors makepansies useful as garnishes, in fruit andgreen salads, desserts, or soups.

Scented GeraniumsThe flower flavor generally corresponds tothe variety. For example, a lemon-scentedgeranium would have lemon-scented flow-ers. Sprinkle flowers over desserts andrefreshing drinks, or freeze them in icecubes.

Use your imagination. The more you openyourself to the possibilities of edible flowers,the more uses you will discover. Proceedwith caution and use common sense.Please, don’t waste another day or anotherdelicious, edible flower. You might be sur-prised by the compliments you receive fromeven the dedicated meat-and-potatoescrowd, like me. ¦

Mr. and Mrs. Marcus and Anne Hester

Mr. and Mrs. James E. Holmes III

Mr. and Mrs. James E. Holmes, Jr.

Mrs. E. R. HowardMr. and Mrs. John C.

HuffmanMr. and Mrs. John W. HuttonMr. and Mrs. Richard E. JoheMr. and Mrs. Warren C.

JonesJeff and Jean KellyBarbara and Leon KendrickBob and Elen KnottWill and Sara KnottCynthia and Monty LeonardDr. and Mrs. Dan S. LocklairJim and Mary Allen MartinMr. and Mrs. John MeylerDr. and Mrs. Henry S.

Miller, Jr.Dr. and Mrs. Thomas H.

Milner IIIMs. Ellen L. MincerNancy Moltman and

John SkipperDr. and Mrs. John H. MonroeDr. and Mrs. William G.

MontgomeryMr. and Mrs. Alan MooreMr. and Mrs. Harold S.

MooreMrs. Elsie L. MorrisMrs. George C. MountcastleMs. Everdina NieuwenhuisRay and Cathy OwenAbbie and Francis Pepper, Jr.Ms. Susan D. PfefferkornMs. Kathryn T. PhillipsGary and Sandy PoehlingMr. and Mrs. Charles E.

PrattMr. and Mrs. Michael and

Ramelle PultizerMr. and Mrs. William E.

Rabil, Jr.Norwood RobinsonPeter and Debra RosenquistDrs. Walter and Mary

RoufailKathy and Tom RuckerMr. and Mrs. James M. RuffinDr. and Mrs. Alfred J. Rufty,

Jr.Mrs. Diana SalmonsDr. and Mrs. Omar SanguezaMr. and Mrs. William C.

ScurryMr. and Mrs. Ian Silversides

NEVER PUT A NON-EDIBLE FLOWER, LIKE

FOXGLOVE, ON A PLATE,EVEN AS A GARNISH.


Page 4


Back to Basics: GrowingVegetable Plants from Seeds

by John Kiger, RGWFU assistant manager

Today’s economy has hit everyone hard.When gasoline reached four dollars per gal-lon, the cost of food also rose. Unfortunately,unlike gasoline, food prices still remainhigh. We can combat those higher foodprices by growing our own vegetables.Recently, I received an e-mail from Burpeestating, “Ten dollars invested in seed willproduce six hundred and fifty dollars worthof vegetables.” They illustrated the claimwith a grouping of six different vegetables—lettuce, peppers, peas, tomatoes, greenbeans, and carrots. Growing any or all ofthese is easier than you may think, but doesrequire a little work.

Deciding Where to Grow VegetablesChoosing the site is most important, sincevegetable gardens require at least six hoursof sunlight. The space does not have to behuge. Container growing has always beenpopular and works well for small areas, suchas patios. I have even used flower bedsaround my house to grow green beans andother compact vegetables. Larger sitesrequire breaking or tilling the ground. Thiscan be strenuous but well worth your trou-ble if you want to produce large quantities.Another method is to create raised bedsbordered with dry-stack stones and filledwith amended soil. In the past, people haveused treated lumber, but this is a practicethat should be abandoned, due to the chem-icals used to treat lumber. Don’t make raised

beds too wide—three feet is plenty. When itcomes time to harvest, it is easier to reachplantings from either side.

Starting Seeds InsideSome vegetable plants, like beans, do bestwhen planted directly in the ground, butmany vegetable plants can be started inside,giving them a headstart on their growingseason. Starting your own vegetable seedsinside need not be complicated; actually, itis quite easy. First, make sure you can pro-vide good growing conditions for seeds andseedlings. Find a sunny location inside yourhome. A window on the southern side willprovide adequate light and warmth for thenew seedlings. If a window is not an option,grow lights or a simple, cool white fluores-cent fixture may be purchased at most hard-ware stores. Directions for using indoor lightset-ups are readily available on the Internet.

Generally, I use seed starting trays forplants at Reynolda Gardens. When startingtomatoes, for example, I use four-inch bysix-inch trays, since I wish to start an abun-dance at once; we grow several varieties fordisplay at Reynolda Gardens and sell hun-dreds of tomato plants every spring. Theseedlings require transplanting into individ-ual containers after a few weeks. Thisprocess works well for us, but it may be toodifficult for home growers. My recommen-dation for them is to start seeds in pots thatmay be planted directly in the garden, suchas peat pots, or other, similar, biodegradablepots. Before adding soil, soak the pot inwater, so it is thoroughly wet. One draw-back to these pots is that they dry outquickly, so they must be checked often.

Plastic containers will work just as wellfor most people, and there is a large varietyfrom which to choose. One good thingabout plastic is that it can be used over andover, but, if you choose plastic, make surepots are cleaned yearly and have properdrainage. Recently I visited a local hardwarestore and was amazed at the many productsthey had for starting seeds. One from Ferry-Morse would be perfect for home use. TheQuick and Easy Triple Greenhouse is a tray

Mr. and Mrs. Bruce W. SmithMr. and Mrs. Donald G.

SmithMr. and Mrs. E. Gray

Smith IIIBill and Janet Snow and

MillieBunky and Dick StocktonMr. and Mrs. Robert G.

Stockton, Jr.Dr. Gerald T. TaylorDr. and Mrs. James F. TooleMrs. Donna T. TorreysonMr. and Mrs. Gene and

Maggie TripletteTwin City Garden ClubDr. and Mrs. Harry B.

UnderwoodMr. and Mrs. Stuart VaughnMs. Amy P. VernerMr. and Mrs. O. A. Verner, Jr.Susan B. WallMr. and Mrs. William R.

Wallace, Jr.Dr. James M. Walter, Jr. and

Ms. Michelle A. PortmanWeeds and Seeds Garden

ClubGinny Weiler and

Claudine LegaultDoug and Mary WhiteMr. and Mrs. John WilliardMr. and Mrs. Bill and

Jane Womble

DonorDr. Sandra AdamsDr. and Mrs. Mark and

Susan AndrewsMr. and Mrs. Don G. AngellMr. Kevin BeachKay and Don BergeyMs. Jere C. BrowneMr. and Mrs. Vernon CarltonRichard D. CarmichaelMaureen and Steven

CarpenterMrs. Scott CawoodGail and Marvin ChavisMs. Lou W. CreefMr. Tim CreefDr. and Mrs. Walton CurlMr. Thomas E. DeeseMrs. Toni Pegg DoubMs. Carolyn DowMrs. Lu DunkelbergMrs. Nelida FlatowMrs. Roddy FlowMs. Janelle S. FrazierMr. and Mrs. Gene FrekkoDr. and Mrs. Robert L.

Gibson

A BOUNTIFUL

GARDEN BEGINS

WITH A FEW

PACKETS OF SEEDS.


Page 5


that comes equipped with 216 pop-out cellsand is covered with a clear plastic top. Youcan grow a lot of vegetables with that manycells!

Don’t skimp on soil. A good seed-startingsoil is sterile, has nutrients, provides properdrainage, and is free of weed seed. There aremany producers of soils. Garden centersand gardening catalogs are excellentresources to guide you in the right direction.

How to PlantWith fresh seed in hand, fill your pot. Leavethe soil about one-quarter of an inch awayfrom the top and water the soil thoroughly.After a few minutes, add soil if needed.Remember: Don’t fill the pot all the way. Ifyou fill it completely, water runs off; we aretrying to create a holding area so water willseep into the pot gradually.

Check the directions on the back of theseed package. This is where you will learnwhen to start the seeds, how deep to plantthem, and when to move the plants outside.A good rule I have heard through the yearsis to plant a seed no deeper than it is wide.There are exceptions to this rule, so it’simportant to read the directions. Someseeds, like lettuce, are sown on top of thesoil and gently patted down, not covered,since they require sunlight to germinate.

With a pencil or your finger, create a holein the soil, drop the seed in, and cover it.Place the pot in bright sunlight or artificiallight. Once you have everything sown, makesure the soil stays moist, not wet. Withinten to twelve days, you should see signs ofgrowth. Tiny cotyledons appear first. Oftenmistaken for the first leaves, they actuallyprovide food storage for the plant. Soonafterward, true leaves appear. This is when

you want to fertilize for the first time, usinga liquid fertilizer. Again, read the label fordirections on amounts and intervals.

Watch your plants carefully. As springapproaches, you will want to acclimate themto the weather by moving them outside dur-ing the day and bringing them in at night toavoid frost. For warm season plants, liketomatoes and peppers, it’s time to plant out-side as soon as the threat of frost has dimin-ished. Cool season plants, like cabbage andbroccoli, go outside sooner.

A Project for the Entire FamilyIn the past, I have started my own seed athome in the very way I described above. Iused small Dixie cups and had the help ofmy four-year-old granddaughter. Thisbrings another topic to the table: Childrenlove gardening. Not only is starting yourvegetable garden from seed a great way tooffset food costs, but everyone in the familycan participate. It brings the whole familytogether for a common goal. Last year mygranddaughter helped me sow radish seedsin my garden at home. I instructed her tosprinkle them lightly in the tiny furrows Ihad created. She only went about six inchesbefore the packet was empty. She was soproud that I didn’t have the heart to correcther at that time. I remember thinking, I’llthin them significantly as they come up.Once we had everything planted, I assumed,through the summer, she would lose inter-est, but every time she visited, she asked towalk down to the garden to see how thevegetables were progressing and, of course,to water everything, including me. ¦

Mr. and Mrs. Ben D. GrossMs. Martha HaireDr. and Mrs. John W.

HammonMrs. Janet S. HanoLynne HartMs. Virginia S. HartBill and Doris HohmanMr. and Mrs. Lawrence N.

HoldenDr. and Mrs. Cleve and

Glenda HollarBob and Lynn HoltzclawAnn and Dudley HumphreyMs. Dale Jaeger/The Jaeger

CompanyMs. Sara H. JohnsonJanet JoynerPam KahlDr. and Mrs. Robert KellyMs. Martha KennedyDr. John Keyes and

Ms. Janice PurdyPatricia M. LackeyDr. William A. LambethMr. and Mrs. Doug LewisPaul and Sheilah LombardoDr. and Mrs. T. J. Ma’lufMr. Gerald. B. ManningMs. Betty MarchMr. and Mrs. Larry MartinRick Mashburn and

Ken FrazelleJohn and Karan MatthewsCarroll L. McCulloughDr. Robert L. MeansMr. and Mrs. James E.

Messick, Jr.Monkee’s of the VillageCharles Monroe and

Susan MelvilleRichard and Mary Lou MooreMr. and Mrs. Thomas O.

Moore IIIMs. Deanna Carlisle MossN.C. Unit Herb Society

of AmericaMr. and Mrs. Fred L.

Newman, Jr.Dr. Ron Oppenheim and

Ms. Sharon VinsantDr. and Mrs. Jacob OrbockMike and Audrey ParsonsMrs. Jim R. PettitDr. and Mrs. Harold PollardDr. and Mrs. Carl and

Mary PorcheyDawn and Jim RodgersMs. Victoria RoemerMr. and Mrs. H. C.

Roemer, Jr.Lynne and Herb Roosa


Page 6

Trends in VegetableGardening

by Preston Stockton, RGWFU manager

What happens when you take a terri-ble economy, mix in the high gas prices oflast summer, and add concerns over foodsafety? You have the makings of several newtrends in American food production.

Today most of our vegetables are grown onmegafarms. The average distance Americanfood travels is 1,500 miles. With the cost ofdiesel fuel, no wonder we are paying so muchfor a cucumber! These farms are a problemwhen there are health concerns, such as the E.coli and spinach scare in 2006, when grocerystores and restaurants were scrambling tofind spinach that was not affected by therecall. I was astounded to learn that three-quarters of all domestic spinach is grown inCalifornia. Many Americans are concernedabout pesticide use, and we all know thehigher cost of organic produce in the grocerystores. All of these issues have been factors inchanging the way people think about buyingand growing food.

Seed and Plant Sales for Home GardensIncreasingFor many, the most important considerationsare taste and availability. Does a grocery storetomato ever match the taste of a Brandywinegrown in our own back yard? No way.Vegetables are bred for shipping, not flavor.Finding certain varieties in the traditionalcommercial market can be challenging. Seedcatalogs, such as Johnny’s Select Seed, havean amazing listing of beans, peppers, toma-toes, and eggplants. No wonder Americansare sticking lettuce and peppers in the peonybed and digging up the back yard for thosespecial tomatoes and squash.

The year 2008 saw booming vegetableseed and plant sales, as many Americansdug up their yards and got down and dirty.Not since the inflation of the 1970s have weseen such a boost in homegrown veggies.

Over the past forty years, vegetable seed saleshad been slowly dropping, but it is estimatedthat in 2008 vegetable seed sales were upforty-five percent. In spring of 2008, BurpeeSeed Company doubled its seed sales. SeedSavers Exchange sold 34,000 packets of seedin the first quarter of 2008, more than it soldin all of 2007. The company mailed out10,000 pepper and tomato transplants inMay 2008, double the usual amount for theyear. The Garden Writers Association’s pastsurveys have shown that the average home-owner’s garden budget is spent on lawns,annuals, perennials, vegetables, trees, andshrubs, in that order. In 2008 vegetables hadmoved up to number two.

Front Yard GardeningIn the past, vegetable gardens were almostalways relegated to the back yard. An inter-esting new trend has been moving the veg-etable garden from the back to the frontyard. Sometimes this is a better optionbecause the back is too small or too shady. Ihave no problem with the concept, as long asyou are conscientious and don’t make yourneighbors look at a weedy mess. Many yearsago I rented a house in East Bend and wasthrilled to see that a vegetable garden hadbeen established in the back yard. Thatspring my roommate and I borrowed a tillerfrom the neighbor and prepared it for a sum-mer garden. We planted and watered andcouldn’t wait for the harvest. That gardenproduced a great crop of vegetables and thehealthiest and largest crabgrass I have ever


Mary Carol SappMargaret R. SavocaMrs. Lyttleton ScottShamrock Garden ClubMr. and Mrs. John R. ShoreDoug and Ruth ShouseDawn and Bill Sides, Jr.Ms. Georganna SimpsonMr. and Mrs. Kenneth P.

SommerkampJoanne Lykken StockwellSummit SchoolEstella and John SurrattMarcia SzewczykMr. and Mrs. Henry A.

TaylorMr. and Mrs. Charles and

Nancy ThomasMr. and Mrs. Michael P.

TurnerMs. Tricia VaughnMrs. H. W. WandersWestwood Garden ClubMs. Enid WhiteDr. and Mrs. S. Clay

Williams, Jr.Wallace and Mona Wu

FriendMrs. Virginia B. AdamsR. L. and Rebecca Brogden

AlmondMs. Sarah BarnhardtLorna J. and Charles I. BeckMrs. Stacia S. BerryMr. and Mrs. Brian J. BertineMs. Myra T. BlackburnDr. and Mrs. Edwyn T.

Bowen, Jr.Ms. Wilba BradyDr. Robert BrowneMs. Susan CarsonMrs. Deborah CarterBonnie CookMr. and Mrs. William E.

CrowMr. and Mrs. Brian DavisMrs. Jean L. DixonMs. Hilary DoaneMs. Sandra M. DouglasMrs. Shirley S. DuncanMs. Pam EastwoodMs. Diana S. ErnestMr. Marvin L. Ferrell, Jr.Mrs. Julia FortnerNancy C. FranklinReverend and Mrs. Stephen

GerhardMr. and Mrs. I. Bryce

GordonMs. Miriam Gordon-DeanMrs. Carol Habegger

THIS CUCUMBER DIDN’T HAVE TO TRAVEL FAR—JOHN KIGER IS TASTE-TESTING.

seen! That was one garden I would not wantto see in my neighbor's front yard. Manycommunities actually have codes or ordi-nances restricting front yard planting. InSacramento, California, a complaint filedover a woman’s front yard vegetable gardenled to a fight by local gardeners against thecity’s landscaping code. There, gardens couldnot make up more than thirty percent of thefront yard. To protest, she dressed her twinsons up as a tomato and a carrot and tookthem to the public hearing. Yes, the law waschanged!

Supporting Local Farms and GrowersAnother trend that is growing worldwide issupporting and encouraging local farms andgrowers. Many American families do nothave the space or time for growing vegeta-bles, but they still want to have fresh, safe,and cheap produce. Buying locally impactsour community in many ways.

The American family farmer is a vanishingbreed. In 1900 forty percent of Americansfarmed; by 1990 the number was reduced toonly two percent. It has become very difficultfor small farmers to compete with supersizedfarms and make a living. Family farmers getless than ten cents for every retail dollar.Buying locally cuts out the middleman andputs more money in the farmer’s pocket.

Keeping small family farms productive andfinancially viable also preserves open space inour rural areas. I am astonished at theamount of agricultural landscape we have lostin Forsyth and surrounding counties over thelast twenty years. Buying locally promotesenergy conservation as well; it is a long ridefor that spinach to get here from California.

One of the easiest ways to buy locally is tovisit the local farmers’ markets or vegetablestands. A family on my street has a standevery weekend in the summer, where theysell "kid grown" vegetables, straight from theirback yard. A couple of miles away, a fellowsells Silver Queen corn and tomatoes out ofhis basement. What a great way to meet inter-esting folks and eat fresh, delicious vegetables!


Page 7

Preserving Local Food TraditionsIt is also important in this country to main-tain regional food traditions. What wouldthe South be like if we didn't eat greens andHoppin’ John at New Year’s? What wouldOld Salem be like without Moravian cook-ies? What about visiting Charleston withouteating Frogmore stew? Regional foods arepart of the fabric of our country. I recentlyread a food article in which Bobby Flay, theFood Channel celebrity and owner of theMesa Grill in New York, said, "It drives mecrazy when people think American food isonly hamburgers, meat loaf, macaroni andcheese." More and more people are agree-ing, and making efforts, independently andin groups, to preserve regional food heritage.

Banding TogetherSlow Food is one of the organizations thatpromotes support of local growers and farm-ers and local food traditions. The Slow Foodmovement was founded in 1986 in Italy byCarlo Petrini to resist the opening of aMcDonalds near the Spanish Steps in Rome.It has since expanded globally to over 85,000members in 122 countries. Their focus is onthe preservation, marketing, cooking, andeating of seasonal, local foods. Their aim is tohonor food traditions, care for the land, andsupport the survival of small farmers. Thereare 12,000 members in the U.S.

The local chapter, Slow Food PiedmontTriad, covers twelve counties. There are sev-

CONTINUED ON PAGE 15

Mr. and Mrs. Mack HagamanNick and Sandy HamnerMs. Beth HanoMs. Carol G. HartMs. Alix HitchcockMs. Sandra L. HobackMs. Fay M. HoskinsMrs. Debora HowardMrs. Grace E. HoyleDiane HulburtMr. and Mrs. Paul HummelEdy and Ed HurdleMs. Priscilla IvesterMrs. Patricia JacquesMr. James R. JonesMrs. Betsy H. JoynerMs. Sybil KannryMrs. Kimberly KaplanMrs. Rachel H. KatzerMrs. Earline H. KingWayne and Lisa KinnamonMr. and Mrs. Don and

Gale LanningMr. Frank LarewMs. Susan LaymanMs. Anne LongMrs. John M. Matthews, Sr.Mr. and Mrs. Pete MayoMs. Winnie McClearySally McLeodMs. Gayle G. MeredithMs. Leslie MessickMr. and Mrs. Ralph MessickMrs. Roberta MichalDr. and Mrs. John Y.

ModarressLisa and Jim MontgomeryAnne and John MoreheadRuth MullenMrs. Nancy M. NadingMs. Florence NorrisMs. Allison Norton-RimronJim and Betsy NottkeMr. and Mrs. Phillip and

Wendy OakleyMr. and Mrs. Larry W. OatesMr. and Mrs. Tom OvermanMrs. Richard A. PattonMs. Laura PhailMr. Ben Phillips, Jr.Mrs. Jennifer PierceBob and Vianne PiperMr. and Mrs. James PittmanTom and Faye RayDella RobertsMrs. Joyce M. RobertsonMrs. George D. RovereMs. Shelley RutkinWendy SchaitbergerMs. Elizabeth SloanSally SlusherMr. Lawrence D. SmithMrs. Pat Stoeber


SOME FOOD PLANTS, LIKE CARDOON (FOREGROUND), ARE

DECORATIVE ENOUGH FOR THE FRONT YARD.


Page 8

Mrs. Virginia K. StoelzelMr. and Mrs. Donald TeagueLarry and Wilma TedderMrs. Georgie ThompsonDr. and Mrs. William G.

ThorpeMarian F. TownsendMrs. Mary Kay TuckerClaire and Randy TuttleMr. and Mrs. Douglas D.

WalkerMr. and Mrs. James M. and

Carolyn V. WalkerJo WalkerMr. Charles D. WardJohn and Laura WarrenNancy S. WatkinsMs. Suzanna Watkins and

Mr. Jeffrey WilsonMr. and Mrs. Samuel A.

Watkins IIIMs. Opal C. WeatherlyDannie WeberVictoria B. WellsMs. Margot WhartonMs. Becky WheelerMs. Jule WhiteMrs. Elizabeth WilsonMr. Thomas M. WilsonMr. and Mrs. Jim Yoran

OtherAnonymousMs. Billye Keith JonesMs. Alexis LavineMr. and Mrs. Bill and

Jean MerwinSarah PenryMr. and Mrs. James C.

RatcliffeMs. Nancy Schafer

Education ProgramBy Audubon Garden Club

Young NaturalistsScholarshipsBy Book Club Anon

The Club of Twenty Gardens

JoAnn and Bryan Yates

HonorariaDavid Bare

By Windsor Garden Club

Jim NottkeBy the First Graders, South

Fork Elementary Schoool


The Mechanics of Tanning, or Why the Sun is Harmful to Your SkinHow can the sun be a garden hazard if ithelps our bodies produce vitamin D?Wouldn’t the world be full of children withrickets and adults with osteomalacia, a dis-ease that causes the bones to weaken, if wedidn’t go out in the sun? Well, not exactly,not in our climate at least. In areas wheresunlight is limited, like the Arctic Circle, thatmight be a concern. But even then, one’s dietor vitamin supplements can supply all of thevitamin D needed without exposing the skinand eyes to the hazards of the sun. Simplyput, the sun does much more harm to ourbodies than it does good. Unprotected expo-sure to the sun’s ultraviolet rays can causeskin damage, resulting in premature agingand skin cancer; suppression of the immunesystem; and eye damage, such as cataracts.

According to the American Academy ofDermatology (AAD), ninety percent of skincancers are a direct result of sun exposure. Atan, which, contrary to popular belief, doesnot serve as protection from the sun, is pro-duced when ultraviolet rays are absorbed bya chemical in our skin called melanin. Themore exposure to the sun, the more melaninis produced, so a tan is simply an indicationthat the skin has been exposed to sunlight.Melanin is found in different concentrationsand colors in different people; the darkeryour skin is, the more melanin you have. Ifyou are African-American, you have moremelanin in your skin than, say, someone whois of Scotch-Irish descent, like me. Does thatmean that the sun can’t harm you? Absolutelynot. You are simply a little safer that those ofus who have less melanin. The AAD recom-mends that everyone should have an annualskin examination to check for precancerouslesions or actual skin cancers; I visit my der-matologist twice a year, due to my family his-tory, which includes a family member’s boutwith melanoma. I know how much you loveto garden. I do, too, and none of us want togive it up. But there are ways to protect one-self from the harmful rays of the sun.

Garden Hazards, Part 2:The Sun

by Diane Wise, RGWFU head horticulturist

Tn the last Gardener’s Journal, we agreedto spend some time talking about the haz-ards of gardening. We’ve discussed poisonivy and the problems it can cause to yourhealth and comfort. In this issue, I’m goingto move on to something that you probablydon’t ever think about when you head toyour garden. It might not even make the topthree on your list of things to avoid, as yougo about your day-to-day activities, but itshould. We’re going to discuss the sun andexactly how harmful its rays can be to yourskin and eyes.

First, let me say that the sun in short andcontrolled doses can be a good thing. It notonly makes us feel and look healthy but ishealthy, because sunlight helps our bodiesmake vitamin D, which is essential for strongbones and teeth. Without vitamin D, wewould be unable to absorb calcium, which iswhy calcium supplements also contain thevitamin. There are two major types of vita-min D, neither one better than the other. Thefirst type is found in foods like fortified milk;fatty fishes, such as mackerel, salmon, andsardines; egg yolks; beef liver; and fortifiedorange juice. The second type is producedwhen our skin is exposed to a certain wave-length of UVB light. (UV means ultraviolet.)This particular wavelength is present in sun-light whenever the UV Index is greater thanthree. (I’ll explain the UV Index later in thisarticle.) In our temperate climate, that occursalmost daily in spring, summer, and fallmonths and plenty often during the winter.In fact, adequate amounts of vitamin D canbe generated with exposure of our hands andarms to sunlight for just ten to fifteen min-utes, twice a week.


Page 9

MemorialsWilliam G. Clark, Jr.

By Estella and John Surratt

Dr. A. Robert CordellBy Estella and John Surratt

Susan H. CorrellBy Estella and John Surratt

Elizabeth FitzgeraldBy Estella and John Surratt

Doris KimelBy Estella and John Surratt

Douglas E. Leckie, Jr.By Estella and John Surratt

Gregory D. PritchardBy Mrs. Rupert W. Bagby

Pauline G. RobinsonBy Sally and Steve Harper

Estella and John Surratt

Andrea L. RogersBy Jane Logan Rogers

Lorraine RudolphBy Mr. and Mrs. Charlie

A. Marshall, Jr.

Michael SnellBy Mr. and Mrs. David P.

SnellMrs. Shirley B. Snell

Carol Baker TharpBy Mrs. Rupert W. Bagby

Herbert A. Vogler, Jr.By Estella and John Surratt

Calder W. WombleBy Estella and John Surratt

Some Basic ConsiderationsFirst, think for a minute. Do you have a faircomplexion that freckles or burns easily, haveblond or red hair, blue or green eyes, manymoles, and/or a family history of skin cancer,particularly melanoma? If you meet any orall of these criteria, as I do, you need to beparticularly careful about exposure to thesun’s rays. If you are not familiar withmelanoma, here are some basic facts.Melanoma is the most serious type of skincancer and can be life-threatening. Unlikeother skin cancers, it can metastasize(spread) to other parts of the body, and,when it does, it is usually deadly. Even dark-skinned individuals can develop melanoma,often under the fingernails or toenails; on thepalm of the hand or sole of the foot; or in theeye. Melanoma is difficult to treat, so yourbest protection is prevention.

Next, do you take certain medications, likeibuprofen or Feldene for arthritis; Sinequanfor depression; Bactrim or Vibramycin for aninfection; or Phenergan for allergies or rash-es? All of these medications can make yousensitive to the sun and cause serious sun-burns. Be sure to check with your pharmacistabout all of your medicines and how theymight affect your sun exposure.

Lastly, some chemicals contained in herbi-cides and pesticides, if splashed on your skinand then exposed to sunlight, can result in aburn or rash. In this case, it is not so muchthe presence of the chemical on your skin asit is the subsequent exposure to the sun thatcauses the problem. So, be sure to check the

Material Safety Data Sheet on your gardenchemicals before you start spraying. You really should have a MSDS on anything youuse in your garden. They are available onlineby going to the manufacturer’s website, thento the product, and looking for the MSDS.You can download them, and then you’llhave the information you need to use theproduct safely.

The UV Index, or How Will I Know When the Sun Is Most Intense?When talking about limiting sun exposure,the first thing that always comes up is limit-ing activities during the hours of 10:00 a.m.to 3:00 p.m. Well, that really isn’t an optionfor us, since most of us don’t have lights inour gardens. But, at least, we can try to avoidcertain UV Indexes. The UV Index wasdeveloped by the National Weather Serviceand the U.S. Environmental ProtectionAgency to provide a daily forecast of theexpected risk of sun exposure, taking intoaccount things like clouds, fog, and pollu-tion. With an Index 1 indicating the leastexposure and an Index 11+ indicating themost exposure, you can look at the Indexand know how dangerous the sun is on aparticular day. In addition, an Index Alertwill be issued any time the Index reaches a 6or higher. Just go to www.epa.gov/sunwise/uvindex.html and enter your zip code, city,and state, and you’ll have a forecast for yourarea. If you’ve got ten hours of work to do inyour garden, at least you will be able to avoidthe days with dangerously intense sunlight.

Sunscreen, or Why Can’t I Just Wear Long Sleeves and Long Pants?There are a few things you should always dobefore you hit the garden. Most importantly—put on sunscreen. All sunscreens have asun protection factor (SPF), ranging fromten to ninety, or even higher. The higher theSPF, the more the sunscreen will protect youfrom ultraviolet rays. Your sunscreen shouldhave an SPF of at least thirty and should beapplied thirty minutes before you go out-


VEGETABLE

GARDEN

VOLUNTEERS

PAT STOEBER

AND CHARLIE

WILLIAMS.


Page 10

Garden Hazards, Part 2: The Sun


Volunteers 2007-08Assisted with educationalprograms, gardening, andsales.

Sandra BelmontKay BergeyKimberly BrandLinda BryantBarbara BryantDennis BurnetteBill ConnerAaron CorpeningPhil DickensonJean DixonMarc FarrowTom FredricksonJulia FredricksonJanet FrekkoBart GanzertAidan GanzertJohn HaireJanet HanoMichael HastingsGloria HooverMary Ruth HowardPat JacquesBillye Keith JonesSusan JonesJeff JonesJanet JoynerMeaghan KiernanPat LackeySkip LaLaveBecky LebsockAnne LongTony Ma’lufAlice MartinPeg MartinCraig MauneyKay McKightEllen MincerJudy MitchellJim MitchellNancy MoltmanMary NewmanDina NieuwenhuisJim NottkeTerry Ann OvertonSusan PfeffercornPiedmont Outdoor Painting

SocietyVianne PiperDylan RobertsonOrlando RocheKatherine SchlosserJudy ScurryMarilyn ShupingBetty SinkRobert SmithJanet SnowJanice Snyder


side, so that it will have time to be absorbed.Use at least one ounce, which is about thesize of a shot glass. If your eight-ounce bottleof sunscreen lasts longer than one month,you either aren’t applying enough or yourgarden is full of weeds, because you’re notout there enough. Re-apply every two hours.Be sure to use a broad-spectrum sunscreen,which blocks both UVA (think aging) andUVB (think burning, thus skin cancer) rays.Look for the words Parsol 1789, Mexoryl, oravobenzone on the label. Not to endorse anyparticular product, but here at the Gardens,Preston and I swear by Neutrogena UltraSheer Dry Touch Sunblock with Helioplex.Dr. Joseph Jorizzo, my dermatologist at WakeForest University Medical Center, recom-mended it, and it really is excellent. It’s oilfree, not sticky or hot as so many sunscreensare, and the Helioplex is supposed to keepthe active ingredients stable, so that you don’thave to re-apply for four hours. All I know isthat it is the only one I can stand to put on,which means I use it, and that’s half the bat-tle.

Oh, and don’t think your clothes will pro-tect you as well as sunscreen. They won’t.The average white tee shirt has an SPF ofthree. However, Rit, a company known for itsfabric dye, markets a product called SunGuard. This is a powder that you add to yournormal wash cycle, which renders the gar-ments washed in it with an SPF of thirty. Theprotection will last through twenty washes,and then Sun Guard can be used again. Itdoes not discolor the garment nor change itsfeel. And you can also use bleach, once thegarment has been initially treated with theSun Guard. But since you won’t be coveringyour entire body with clothing, you still needto put sunscreen on any exposed skin.

Keeping Your Eyes HealthyFollow these guidelines, and your skin will befine. But what about your eyes? The sun’s

rays can wreak havoc on your eyes andvision, causing photokeratitis or evencataracts. Photokeratitis is a reversible sun-burn of the cornea. It’s not only painful butcan cause a temporary loss of vision. Cataractsare a clouding of the eye’s lens and must besurgically removed. Farmers, constructionworkers, and gardeners are at the greatestrisk for these easily preventable conditions.There is a simple solution—wear sunglasses,ones that clearly state that they offer ninety-nine to one hundred percent UV protection.UV protection has nothing to do with thecolor of your sunglass lenses but with a treat-ment that is applied to them. If they will pro-tect your eyes, they will say so; look for thatlabel. And while sunglasses are important,they can’t completely block all ultraviolet raysfrom entering your eyes. What about thesides, those areas where the sun always man-ages to sneak in and make you squint? Weara hat, one that has at least a three-inch, stiffbrim. Not only will it protect your eyes butalso your neck, ears, and the part in yourhair. The hat must be solid; a ball cap will notdo it. There have been instances wheremelanoma developed in the space under thegrommets of ball caps. No open-weave strawhats, either. Again, no endorsement intended,but Camilla, Preston, and I love our hatsfrom Sun Precautions. They are made of alightweight nylon, have a four-inch, wiredbrim, a strap to hold them in place in highwind, and come in several colors. The bestpart is that they cast a perfect shadow overyour neck, and even your shoulders, and arereally comfortable to wear. When my hat getsdirty, I take it into the shower with me andscrub it with a brush and shampoo. Bymorning, it’s dry and ready for use. It’s calledthe Solumbra Sun Hat and retails for $49.95.You can order it at www.sunprecautions.com.Sun Precautions also offers clothing with ahigh SPF. Camilla and I have a couple oftheir garments. They’re not cheap, but they’regood quality and do what they are supposedto.



Page 11

Phyllis StewartPat StoeberKatherine SuttonSid Teague IIJim TooleTriad Orchid SocietyShelby TurleyCandi TurnerKarl UrshelAmy VernerJo WalkerAllison WattsBecky WheelerWinston-Salem Rose SocietyBill WiseJoAnn YatesYing Zhang

THE EAST COTTAGE GARDEN

Three Seasons in the Cottage Garden

by David Bare, RGWFU greenhouse manager

In 2008 we decided to use our interpre-tive beds as modern day cottage gardens. Wechange these beds annually to support aneducational theme. They have been nightflowering gardens, cut flower gardens, and acollection of old fashioned flowers derivedfrom a seed list that Mrs. Reynolds oncegrew. Last season we intended to interpret thetwo plots as a mixture of vegetables, flowers,and herbs. We wanted the garden to be inten-sively planted, to change with the turn of theseasons, and, most of all, to be attractive at alltimes. The idea was to present a garden thatwould serve as an acceptable replacement forthe typical suburban front lawn.

A confluence of ideas brought this about.We began to become aware of the environ-mental costs of maintaining a lawn. The localfoods movement really began to take off. Theeconomy was tanking, and the cost of foodwas continuing to rise. What better way toapproach all these issues than to grow our own?

Highlights of the Garden Through the YearSo we set about designing a formal gardenthat would meet our criteria. The two plotswere mirror images, containing nine sym-metrically arranged beds backed by a cen-tral arbor. Two L-shaped, long beds bracket-ed the front of each garden and, in theircenter, we placed potted hibiscus plantstrained to the standard lollipop form. Thearbor and hibiscus topiaries lent structureand formality to the garden, as well as asense of permanence to a garden whose oneconstant seemed to be change.

We decided to support the garden withorganic fertilizers and amendments that wecould buy bagged locally. We used Plantone, a slow-release organic fertilizer; soil condi-tioner; composted cow manure; and mush-room compost.

We tried to take best advantage of eachseason in the garden. To that end, we trans-

planted as much as we could to the garden,getting a head start on each season by start-ing plants in pots indoors in the winter oroutside on a patio area in the greenhousecomplex in the summer. In the early springwe planted biennials, such as foxgloves,snapdragons, poppies, and an orange daisyflower known as osteospermum, that we hadstarted in the fall of 2007. There were coolseason herbs, dill and cilantro, mixed withorange-flowering calendulas and spinach.

As beautiful as any of our flowers were thelettuces in chartreuse and speckled bronzeand sunset reds. A peppery flavored mustardcalled Garnet Giant was a deep maroon.Among these colorful and patterned leaves,we interplanted carrots and radishes, takingadvantage of these plants’ finer texture toserve as a contrast. The grassy leaves ofchives served a similar purpose amongspinach and foxgloves. Sugar snap peasoccupied the arbors in spring. One of myfavorite plants of the spring garden wasfinnochio, or bulbing, fennel. The brilliantemerald foliage was beautiful against thesnow white bulb, and each leaf was as fine asthread. I decided this plant was worthy ofthe garden, whether you intend to eat it ornot.

Two other plants in this family, dill andcilantro, did double duty in the cottage gar-den. Both are used as leaf herbs while youngand, after flowering, the seed is harvestedand used. They also have a hidden benefit.When flowering, they are very attractive tobeneficial insects. Wasps, small bees, and

INTENSIVE PLANTINGS WERE

BOTH PRODUCTIVE AND

ORNAMENTAL.

RABBITS WERE A MAJOR

CHALLENGE.



Page 12

The Water System at Reynolda, Part I: Pure Water

by Camilla Wilcox, RGWFU curator of education

The creation of the water system at Reynolda evolvedover period of years, from about 1909 until about 1920.Various elements were added as needs arose, thereby creat-ing a complicated network that included wells, streams,ponds, pipes, pumps, pump houses, cisterns, tunnels, dams,and a lake. A maze of seemingly conflicting documents,including maps and oral histories, has confounded manyresearchers, and the mysterious stone and block structuresthat were part of the system and remain near the trailshave puzzled visitors for years. In tracing the sequence ofconstruction events throughout the estate, I’ve tried toshow why the system evolved as it did and to offer anexplanation for each piece in this fascinating puzzle.

The most common conveniences of modern Americanlife revolve around the ease with which we can obtainand use clean water: We can take a drink of water from afaucet; flush a toilet; call the fire department; water ourgardens; take a shower; and even go swimming at thelocal pool. For the most part, the water we drink out ofthe tap will not make us sick, and the availability of waterin a single location is not likely to impact our activities.In our time, most of us are not concerned about wherewater will come from, or even if it will come, except intimes of drought or threats of disaster. But in the earlytwentieth century, even the wealthiest industrialist/farmer was dependent upon nature’s placement of waterand the inherent purity of the water itself; money couldnot buy what nature alone could provide.

As a farmer, Mr. Reynolds knew that farming—and liv-ing—at a large country estate would take much morewater than could be provided by the kind of well that wastypical of small Piedmont farms, including those that hadbeen purchased to create the new country estate. Thesewells were generally fairly shallow, often hand-dug, andbrick- or stone-lined, providing enough water, most ofthe time, for a family and some livestock, but little else.Because the property would be outside the city limits,tapping into the city water system or relying on the cityfor services, such as firefighting, were not options.

Artesian Water is Found at ReynoldaIn September of 1910, Katharine Reynolds and the childrenwere traveling while their Fifth Street home was underrenovation, and Mr. Reynolds was watching over thenewly purchased farms. The following excerpts from lettersto his family hint at his personal involvement in thequest for water and the excitement he felt over anextraordinary discovery. The first two passages weretaken from separate letters to his wife, written on thetwenty-second.

I am now looking for a new well digger to sink a new well at the Hodgins farm (today part of the Reynolda Woods neighborhood). The old well has caved in so bad that it can’t be repaired. They have to get water from your old farm.

I bargained with Mr. Knox, the same man Brother William (Reynolds) had to get water at his farm and he bored yesterday for water below your Gray spring (today the Golf Links Meadow) and says he has a running stream of 20,000 gallons per day. He has just sent for me to come out and see the result of his first boring where he evidently has struck something big in the way of a water supply.

Mr. Knox had selected a test site near a consistentlyproductive spring and tapped into an aquifer contain-ing artesian water. Coming from deep in the earth,artesian water was highly prized for its purity. Becauseit comes out of the ground under pressure, sometimesliterally shooting out of the ground from a spring orwell, it could be piped long distances under its own,natural pressure.* Soon after the discovery was made,Mr. Reynolds wrote to his son, who was then fouryears old and would hear the letter read by his mother,describing plans for using the water.

Your mother now has 40,000 gallons of running water per day at Gray springs. The water shoots out of a two-inch pipe ten feet above the level of the bank of the branch and can be piped to the dam of the lake and pumped two hundred feet high without any cost of operating the pump.

Once wells had been bored into the aquifer and thewater contained in pipes, the spring disappeared, leav-ing no possibility of surface contamination; the purityof the drinking water supply would be guaranteed.Now, the farm and village buildings, recreational facil-


Page 13

ities, and residence could be sited with confidence thatclean water would be available, in abundance, wherev-er it was needed. Construction began on structuresand systems that would join all parts of the estatetogether.

But the use of this water for drinking was still in thefuture. First, there was a lake to be filled and newplantings to be watered. In October, consulting engineerJ. N. Ambler produced “A Map Showing Golf-links,Roads, and Water Works,” which showed the exactlocation of the original spring, three wells nearby, andwater pipes. Although this map shows a pipe alongsidean existing stream, notes indicate that water wasinstead piped a short distance to a small reservoir thatemptied into this stream. An overflow and anotherwell were located a short distance downstream. A littlefarther on, water could be diverted in one of two ways:First, it could go into a small, open structure, where itcould be filtered and then collected in a larger, opencistern, called the Irrigation Basin. Pumps located in asmall, stone building next to the cistern pumped itthrough pipes wherever it was needed. Second, if suf-ficient water had been collected in the cistern, wateralready in the stream could be allowed to flow aroundit and on to the lakebed.

Before the discovery of the artesian well, it hadapparently been expected that Silas Creek, whichflowed into the lakebed on the north side, along withthree other small streams, one or two springs, and anatural wetland, would provide most of the water forthe lake. As recently as July of that year, Mr. Amblerhad been asked to gauge the flow of Silas Creek, and,in August, to take a “brook measurement” of anotherstream. Now, by routing water from the artesian well

through the existing stream, there would be more thanenough water to fill the lake quickly. The dam wascompleted in 1912, and, by the winter of 1913, thelake was almost full.

Just think: This was the clearest, purest water imagi-nable, coming from deep in the earth, and it was rush-ing through a stream and pond system just to fill thelake and water a few trees and shrubs here and there.Water of this quality would soon be needed to providepure water for the residence and the village. It wasdetermined that there would be more than enoughwell water to serve both needs, but that the deliverymethods would have to be separate. A pipe was laidfrom the well to a 30,000 gallon storage tank, locatedabout a hundred feet from the homesite. From there, itwould be piped into the residence and on to the village.This comprehensive artesian system was at or nearcompletion by the fall of 1914, when it was listed inthe assets for Reynolds Farms, which was being incor-porated under the name Reynolda:

Artesian well and water system 2608.79New water system 2364.01

The discovery of artesian water and the installation of asystem to deliver it throughout the estate was the essen-tial first step toward creating a progressive, safe, andhealthy environment for a community of family andworkers; prize farm animals; sanitary dairy; and otherkey operations, including canning on a large scale in sup-port of the war effort, and ice-making for cold storage.


THE IRRIGATION BASIN WAS USED AS A SWIMMING POOL AFTER RENOVATIONS, HERE

UNDERWAY, WERE COMPLETED IN 1918.

THE FRESHWATER SWIMMING POOL, C. 1920.


Page 14

The abundance of pure waterwas a source of great pride toMrs. Reynolds, but this systemcould not support the burgeon-ing demands for water for land-scaping and gardens that sheand Thomas Sears were plan-ning and for a new centralsteam system to serve the manynew buildings planned for thevillage. For this, a means ofdrawing and delivering lakewater would need to be devel-oped. “The Water System atReynolda, Part 2: Water Fromthe Stream and Lake,” whichwill appear in the summer edi-tion of The Gardener’s Journal,will trace the development andfunction of the system that pro-vided water for irrigation andthe steam/power plant.

*The characteristic pressurethat is created in artesian wellsand springs is the result of acombination of the type andvariations in depth of rockfound above the aquifer.

Special thanks to Barbara B.Millhouse, Sherold Hollingsworth,Todd Crumley, and RichardMurdoch for their assistancewith this research.

The Water System atReynolda, Part I: Pure Water


Reynolda was designed to be a fully functional community with its ownelectrical, telephone, firefighting, and sewage systems. Space does not per-mit a full discussion of all of the utilities, but here are few points of interestrelating to the pure water system.

¦ Wells, and even some municipal systems, of the day were easily con-taminated, and unsafe drinking water was always a concern. As a col-lege student, Mrs. Reynolds had to leave her studies at NC State Normal School (now UNC-G) due to a typhoid outbreak and com-plete her education elsewhere. Even though artesian water is highly prized for its purity, it was still checked regularly, according to the article “Reynolda Farm,” which appeared in the Twin-City Sentinelon July 7, 1917. “Since the system was installed, there is yet to be made a report that does not show that the water is as pure as can be found …. Reynolda is healthy, there having never been a case of typhoid fever on the estate among the hundreds of persons that have been employed since the development was started.”

¦ Fire was a constant concern at any farm, and no one was immune from its dangers; a fire at Mr. Reynolds’ farm, Skyland, in 1909 had caused a great deal of damage. Because the newly purchased propertywould be outside the city limits, the municipal fire department could not be called to help in case of an emergency. Firefighting readiness onthe scale that would be necessary for a large farm with many struc-tures required a reliable and abundant water source. For this reason, artesian water was piped to all of the fire hydrants, including those in the part of the village on the west side of Reynolda Road. A firefight-ing system, complete with built-in firehoses, was installed in the resi-dence, which was considered “fireproof.”

¦ Elevated, wooden water tanks were often used at farms of the period to conserve every drop of precious water and to pipe it effectively where it was needed, using the force of gravity. According to early conceptual drawings, a tank was to have been placed near the estate entrance, but there is no evidence that it was actually installed. On the 1910 Ambler plan, a pipe was to have run from the well to this tank. A tank was used for a brief time at the barn complex in the village, but it was removed around the time the artesian system was installed.

¦ When Reynolda became part of the city of Winston-Salem in 1935, most of the vestiges of the early, self-sufficient community became redundant. Firefighting readiness became the city’s responsibility. Theclean water system was not connected to city water until the early 1970s. The underground clean water storage tank near the residence was removed in 2003 to make way for construction of the Mary and Charlie Babcock Wing of Reynolda House Museum of American Art.


Page 15

Three Seasons in the Cottage Garden


syrphid flies were in constant motion above the flowers.Because they are cool season crops, we were able to thenharvest the seed and replant in the fall garden.

Challenges and SolutionsAs the spring garden began to mature, we prepared for theoncoming heat. We also began to experience an epidemicof rabbits. Young plants disappeared within a day of plant-ing them. Peas were pulled from their perch on the trellisand stripped of their leaves, leaving a tangle of shreddedvines, just as they came into fruit.

While we expected some loss to pests, it was rapidlybecoming obvious that the number of rabbits would makethe losses intolerable. We began to regularly spray repellent.Our first efforts, a repellent with active ingredients thatwere a combination of garlic and egg solids, were not terri-bly successful. It takes great discipline and religious regu-larity for repellents to be effective, and the very nature ofthis product did not inspire us to use it regularly. Weswitched to a botanically based repellent that proved muchmore effective. We applied it two times a week to beginwith and sprayed any new additions when they were plant-ed. Seeds were tricky. We had to plan carefully and hopethat they would germinate on days we were working,because otherwise they would seem to never appear. Wewere gradually able to reduce spraying to once a week andfinally to every two weeks to a month. Things calmeddown considerably. The autumn appearance of a Red-tailedhawk also contributed.

Another challenge of the summer garden was that thelarge size of so many of these crops was inappropriate tothe space we had allotted for the beds. The pattern of ourformal beds was quickly lost beneath the cover of summersquash. Our two trellises supported cucumbers of two vari-eties and two kinds of tomatoes, including our favoriteSungold.

Our long, bracketing border beds supported Prairie Sunflowers, rudbeckias, zinnias, and elegant ponytail grass.The two flowers were also a bit large for their space,though they supplied cut flowers that are often requestedfrom the university for special events. There were also cos-mos and salvias flowering in the summer garden. Basilwas another summer staple. Peppers, carrots, and radishesrounded out the summer garden. We grew the ornamental

Black Pearl pepper, as well as Habenero, Jalapeno, Poblano,and Anaheim and some unsuccessful bell peppers.

The peppers, which were planted a bit late, were stillcoming in when the fall harvest of spinach, carrots, mus-tards, and Chinese cabbages and greens were ready.Scallions were another tasty addition that we interspersedamong the lettuce, tatsoi, radishes, and calendulas. Theyadded a new plant form to the design, as well as a flavorfuladdition to autumn meals.

We again planted sugar snap peas on the arbors that heldthe tomatoes and cucumbers, and we again failed. Thistime the cold, not the rabbits, snatched them away tooearly. A highlight of the autumn garden was the bloomingwhite ginger we bookended into the borders. This is one ofthe few perennials we put in the garden, and, though wehad to wait all season for it to bloom, its scent was wellworth it.

The Future of the Cottage GardenWe learned a few lessons along the way in planting thisgarden. We have to work on size and spacing. Timing hasto be further refined to assure the optimum harvest period.We want to experiment with some organic control meth-ods for pests and diseases. We will continue our cottagegardens at least another year. That gives us two more shotsat the ever-elusive sugar snap pea. ¦

eral hundred members. Local initiatives include provid-ing food education, promoting the sustainable use ofland, and supporting slow food style restaurants andsmall farmers. Margaret Norfleet Neff, the leader ofSFPT, says that they try to “keep the mission clean andsimple.” They are a varied and active group and invite allinterested people to join. One of the projects that theyhope to complete this year is a system that will recognizerestaurants in the area that buy from local growers, aswell as the small growers themselves. It will be like aSFPT “seal of approval” that consumers can look for. TheSFPT website is www.slowfoodpiedmont.org.

So whether you plant an acre of vegetables or one patiotomato, or buy from the farmer’s market at the fair-grounds, the times they are a’changing. Americans aretaking a hard look at exactly where their food is comingfrom, and it is about time. ¦

Trends in Vegetable Gardening


PUBLISHED TWICE YEARLY BY

REYNOLDA GARDENS OF

WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY

Communications about Gardens development should be addressed to Preston Stockton, manager.Correspondence concerning The Gardener’s Journal should be addressed to Camilla Wilcox, editor.

A calendar of events is published separately in January and September.

Historical photographs courtesy of Reynolda House Museum of American Art archives.

For a list of sources for plants mentioned in The Gardener’s Journal, please send a SASE to Reynolda Gardens, 100 Reynolda Village, Winston-Salem, NC 27106.

Website: www.reynoldagardens.org


Printed on paper made of 50% sugar cane pulp and 50% recycled fiber, including 30% post-consumer fiber.No new trees used and elemental-chlorine free.

Non-Profit Org.U.S. Postage

PAIDWinston-Salem, NC

Permit No. 69

That should do it. You now havethe very basics of staying safe in thesun. My best advice, though, is tovisit your dermatologist regularly—s/he really can be a life saver.Hopefully, you’ve learned some-thing here that will help make thegarden a safer, and, consequently,more enjoyable place. I think thereis enough to worry about in lifethat we can’t control, that we mayas well control the things we can,and sun exposure is one of them. ¦

Garden Hazards, Part 2: The Sun


Gardens, including an all-day workshop, arecentered on learning to growing food. Thedisplay gardens, which Mrs. Reynolds calledThe Fruit, Cut Flower, and Nicer VegetableGardens, continue to be a resource for infor-mation and inspiration. Plants are labeled,and staff and volunteers are happy to answerquestions and discuss plants and techniqueswith visitors.

Gifts from Friends of Reynolda Gardenshelp make these efforts possible. Thanks totheir generosity, many people in our commu-nity will be able to regain confidence in theirability to grow food that is safe, healthy,inexpensive, and delicious. ReynoldaGardens is still a vital resource for the public,just as Mrs. Reynolds envisioned almost acentury ago. ¦

2009: The Year for Learning to GrowYour Own Food


R E Y N O L D A GA R D E N S100 Reynolda VillageWinston-Salem, NC 27106

Documents

R EYNOLDAG ARDENS The G ardener of Wake Forest Universityreynoldagardens.org/journals/2009-winter-journal.pdf · spring and fall, with pretty rays (petals) in golden orange hues