Wright Scoop Identifies 2016 Plants, Products, Services of CARE

Across the Nation, climatic shift occurs, challenging all to identify eco sustainable plants, products and services that enable greening their urban suburban landscapes. For the summer of 2016, the Wright Scoop recognizes ‘Mock Orange’ and ‘Ecological Footprint’ for their eco sustainable characteristics.

Mock Orange –

For introducing a stunning citrus fragrance in the garden, you can’t go wrong with Mock Orange shrub (Philadelphus virginalis). This late spring-blooming deciduous bush looks great when placed in a border, used in groups as screening or simply as stand-alone specimen plants. Though it’s not a true orange, its name is derived from the fragrant white flowers which in some varieties are thought to resemble that of orange blossoms. Mock orange shrubs are hardy in Zones 4-8. They enjoy areas with full sun to partial shade and moist, well-drained soil. Adding compost to the soil will help improve most issues.

 

Mock orange bushes come in many varieties, ranging in height from 4-8 feet or more. For its heirloom qualities and ability to naturalize an environment, plant ‘Mock Orange’ ‘is recognized as a ‘Plants of CARE’, July of 2016. For those who do not have the privilege of hosting such a plant, it is available through vendors such as Monrovia, www.monrovia.com .

Ecological Footprint -

How much land area does it take to support your lifestyle? Take a quiz to find out your Ecological Footprint, discover your biggest areas of resource consumption, and learn what you can do to tread more lightly on the earth.  While some of each person's Ecological Footprint is dependent upon individual choices they make in their own life, some of it is also their per person share of their societies' infrastructure. The first part can be influenced directly.

On the other hand, the second part is equally critical to living within the means of one planet, but must be influenced through more indirect action such as political engagement, green technology and innovation, and other work toward large-scale social change. To identify your eco impact, participate in an activity such as ecological footprint, www.footprintnetwork.org,

About the Wright Scoop –

Spotlight by Landscape Architect magazine as an Industry ‘mover and shaker’, the Wright Scoop – Sylvia Hoehns Wright urges all to become people who CARE - have a perspective of conservation, accountability, recovery and eco-efficiency. As founder of the Plants, Product & Services of Care programs, Wright challenges all to select and use plants/products/services that work-well in their region. For details of her programs, link to Plants of CARE, http://wrightscoop.blogspot.com/2015/12/plants-of-care-plant-recognition-program.html and Product/Services of CARE, http://wrightscoop.blogspot.com/2015/12/products-of-care-eco-sustainable.html Or, link to web site www.TheWrightScoop.com  or view video Landscape Gardening with CARE - https://youtu.be/ENPhCg9QQNc   or contact Sylvia@TheWrightScoop.com .  

 

Clean-Waters, a national not regional problem

Riding on storm waters, mud, ‘house’ trash and urban/suburban fertilizers saturate central Virginia’s wetlands. For, during a time when you would think Chesapeake Bay regulation and consumer educational activities should be more effective, pollution abounds. So, how did this outcome occur?

affect of run-off fertilizers

 

Perhaps, we have become too comfortable with statistics that indicate ‘clean water’ progression. Or, we failed to continue consumer educational activities, media public relations and/or other eco educational opportunities. Or, the Industry itself is too complacent in its self-regulation. On the other hand, Virginians for example do have benefit of numerous programs and guidelines provided by its state colleges, VA Tech and VA State as well as other regional programs.

In my area – Henrico County Virginia, the community has benefit of a free lawn care seminar as well as a ‘SMART’ lawn program. There is also an active ‘creek restoration’ program, link to an article published by the Times Dispatch, http://www.richmond.com/news/local/henrico/article_d1f9f33b-0040-57f4-8ef3-562f244b6d37.html. Impacting a creek that feeds into my wet-land, the outcome is questionable.

 

Prior to restoration, the County estimated approximately 100 tons (10 dumps trucks) of sediment eroded from the stream banks and bottom of the stream every year. Having occurred during the timeframe of November 2015 to May 2016, one of the heaviest rainfall seasons on record, recipient wetlands received not cloudy but an ongoing flow of mucky waters which appears to be equivalent to 2 or 3 prior year annual erosions. So, as stated in the published article such projects should be viewed as phase I, not stand-alone.

 

And, specific to state of Virginia conservation and recreation programs, while there are TIPS for keeping your lawn green and Virginia’s water clean, I question why pollution continues to saturate my property’s wetland!

So, the first question is ‘is this outcome unique to the Greater Richmond area, regional or nation-wide?’ Then, depending on the answer, those who are affected need to take a hard look at their eco programs and activities, identify short-comings, and plan a different result. For examples, use cover crops to provide nitrogen for a next season’s garden space, a soil test to determine nutrient additives per gardening installation, and planting strategies that avoid disturbing soil nearby feeder-creeks, lakes/ponds and rivers. Use compost to selectively enrich soil, and edge planting areas to avoid nutrient run-off. In other words, landscape garden using a 6 Ps strategy: place – determine outdoor use in terms of its exposure, plant – identify plant materials that support the identified use, planting strategies – install plants during their optimal installation season, purchase – acquire buy-local plants identified to work-well in your area, become people who make eco-sustainable commitments and create prosperity, an eco-legacy of healthy green.

As gardeners, we not only have the opportunity to make a difference through personal choices but can influence others through our use of green space, both rural and urban. For additional tips and strategies, visit www.TheWrightScoop.com.

The Value of Trees

From the perspective of a central Virginia homeowner, I'd hope the fall of 2011 would remain a once in a life time experience. Although familiar with environmental havoc created by storms, when the force of storm Irene quit, Greater Richmond Area residents were greeted with litter of fallen trees; in fact, more than 70% of the area experienced utility outages. So, when a recent un-named storm left 75% of the county in which I reside, Henrico with utility outages and fallen trees, it was woefully  familiar.

 

Still, as my ‘dig in the dirt’ colleague Luke McCall, an arborist with the City of Richmond says, “Too often, trees are taken for granted or simply considered disposable to our modern lives. If the value of trees is not shared with the public, there will be no demand to preserve for the present and provide for the future.”

 

 As a result, research shared by Virginia Tech indicates one tree can remove 26 pounds of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere annually, equaling 11,000 miles of car emissions. Urban forests are recognized to reduce urban air temperatures significantly by shading heat sinks such as buildings and concrete; and returning humidity to the air through evaporative cooling. Properly placed deciduous trees reduce house temperatures in the summer, allowing air conditioning units to run 2 to 4 percent more efficiently, but allow the sun to warm the house in the winter. Homes sheltered by evergreen windbreaks reduce winter heat loss and are generally warmer than homes without such protection. By using trees to modify temperatures and protect against wind, the amount of fossil fuels used for cooling and heating is reduced.

Urban trees are also recognized to provide economic benefits to communities. They improve water quality, mitigate storm-water runoff, conserve energy, lower air temperatures, reduce air pollution, and enhance property values. The total compensatory value of urban forests in the continental United States is estimated at $2.4 trillion, according to the U.S. Forest Service. But this resource is ongoing threatened by urban development as well as environmental havoc created by shifts in climate change.

Urban arborist such as my colleague Luke or a Certified Horticulturist professional at your local nursery/garden center can help select a tree that is not only right for your needs but grown to industry standards. For, trees, grown to established nursery standards, are more resistant to disease and pests, and do provide the best return on your investment. So, familiarize your self with planting options; visit for example, the Virginia Department of Forestry web site .

While you may tend to react to the havoc – litter of fallen trees – created by a tropical storm with fear, understand a better choice is to plant and maintain an urban canopy of trees. “Truly, our greatest responsibility as citizens and natural resource professionals,” says Luke “is our obligation to provide future generations with a world greener and cleaner than we found it. Planting a tree is one the best ways to accomplish that goal.”

As gardeners, we not only have the opportunity to make a difference through personal choices but influence others through our use of green space, both rural and urban. For additional eco tips and strategies, visit web site www.TheWrightScoop.com.