Countless flowers, plants, exhibits, vendors, and gallons of water have been removed from the Philadelphia Convention Center. The 2018 Philadelphia Flower Show, whose theme was “Wonders of Water,” has officially ended after a glorious week early in March that drew hundreds of thousands of visitors.
Continue reading Save the Date: Philadelphia Flower Show 2019
As spring approaches, so does the opportunity to plant trees. The challenge is to choose the right one. You have lots of choices. Of the more than 60,000 species that grow worldwide, 60 are native to Maryland.
This blog, the second in a three-part series, focuses on smaller trees, those typically under 35 feet.
Small Trees
Small trees have a single trunk and typically grow from 15 to 35 feet tall. Their crown spreads from 15 to 25 feet wide. They tend to have a shorter life span than taller trees but they can thrive for decades.
Shrubs have multiple stems and tend to be under 15 feet tall. Some plants, like the Fringe tree (Chionanthus virginicus), is called either a shrub or a tree depending on whether it has multiple trunks or one. While these definitions assist in classifying trees, they are not universally accepted. Trees and shrubs do not always adhere to these definitions either.
Butterflies bring beauty and delight to any garden or meadow they grace. And their names bring a smile as well: Small tortoiseshell, Orange tip, Purple emperor, Wall brown, Rear Admiral and Painted lady to name a few.
“Butterflies…flowers that fly and all but sing” –Robert Frost
But they are more than just pretty creatures with playful names. They play an important role in the ecosystem. They pollinate flowers and shrubs like azaleas. Some caterpillars consume nuisance insects like aphids. Butterflies and their young serve as a food source, in turn, for many other insects and wild life. Continue reading “Butterflies…flowers that fly and all but sing”