Wool was an important fiber in colonial America.  Wool was spun and woven into a strong fabric that kept people warm in the winter. Every spring, sheep were shorn. Their wool was trimmed off, and then cleaned and combed to prepare it for spinning. Carding or combing wool is a necessary step in the process of making wool cloth. Carding makes sure all the wool fibers are untangled and aligned in one direction, making it easier to spin smoothly. This video from George Washington's Mount Vernon describes the 18th century wool production process So, how do you card wool? Step 1 Choose a clean clump of fleece. Loosen the fleece gently without pulling the lock totally apart. Step 2 Lay your clump of fleece onto the bottom card. Step 3 With a sweeping motion, draw the right card down over the left card. Do not mesh the teeth of the cards together. Continue this gentle brushing motion until the wool is smooth and the fibers look like they are all going in the same direction. Step 4 When you are finished, nudge the right card up against the left, gently pushing the wool to the edge of the opposite card. Step 5 Pull the combed fleece off of the cards. This little bundle is called a rolag. Longer bundles are called roving. It is now ready to be dyed or spun. Stay tuned for a future post on dying wool, spinning, and other related activities! People dipping sheep in the river and shearing them in the field, then washing, beating and combing the wool. Engraving.. Credit: Wellcome Collection. Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) Continue the Wool Carding Fun at Learning at London Town! All programs are held outside with appropriate distancing, group sizes, and cleaning in accordance with CDC and local guidance. Pre-registration required for all programs. Learning at London Town: The Fabric of Life Wednesday, October 14, 1 pm- 3 pm OR Saturday, October 17, 10 am- 12 pm Experience the fabrics of colonial life - woolens, linens, cottons, and silks! Help process some of the natural fibers that were the basis for colonial clothing. Fabric patterns were often block printed on colonial textiles – design and print your own pattern to take home! ​$8 for member children grades 1 - 4 $10 for non-member children grades 1 - 4 REGISTER HERE Learning at London Town: Game On! Wednesday, November 18, 1 pm- 3 pm OR Saturday, November 21, 10 am- 12 pm Life for kids in the Colonial Chesapeake wasn’t all about work. In this program, kids will learn to play some sports and games that were popular in London Town’s heyday. While having fun, children will learn important communication and team-building skills. ​$8 for member children grades 1 - 4 $10 for non-member children grades 1 - 4 REGISTER HERE

Fall flowers of whimsy, elegance and simplicity. Toad Lily, Tricyrtis hirta 'Miyazaki' hybrid Anemones 'wind flowers', Tricyrtis sp. 'Toad Lilies' and Miscanthus blooms are some neat fall blooms that can draw attention to a garden that is gearing up to go dormant. Toad Lily, Tricyrtis formosana var. Toad Lilies (Tricyrtis sp.) Toad Lilies have more elegance and depth than a true Lily, and the common name doesn't do much justice. The speckled flowers add whimsy to a garden with an intricate formation of tepals and pollen that look even more intriguing than an Orchid flower. This is one flower at London Town that I wait for all year long. The leaflets have an arching habit, with buds and flowers stealing the show. The best part: they can grow in part-full shade. Well suited for a woodland garden where mostly everything else is getting ready to go dormant. Wind Flowers, Anemones sp. Wind Flowers (Anemones sp.) Anemones sp. 'wind flowers' are the essence of simplicity in a cottage garden. Simple flowers, tall and slender stalks dancing in the wind, soft white or baby pink petals, add elegance to a rather dormant looking garden. Anemone hupehensis var. 'Wind flowers' At London Town, you can enjoy them as you down the Holly Grove steps. A slope, cliff, a garden bed border, or a backdrop mass planting would be well suited design wise. They enjoy part sun and moist soils. Informal or cottage garden designs would easily be adaptable to this beauty, for the abundant dappled flower stalks shouldn't be staked, they appear to dance with the wind, hence the common name 'wind flowers'. Silver Grass, Miscanthus variegatus Silver Grass (Miscanthus variegatus) Miscanthus variegatus 'silver grass' is a stunning and artistic addition to an ornamental garden. Miscanthus biggest misfortune is that some species can become invasive. But when choosing Miscanthus ornamental species, look for the sterile species. More information here: https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/.../PlantFinderDe...& Close up of Silver Grass Mums and Asters add their own charm to fall. But there are ample late blooming perennials that can draw attention away from the falling Oak and Maple leaves. Try any of the Toad Lilies and Anemone species and be specific when you choose Miscanthus for species and location. Plant Clearance Sale Through October 16 Thank You to everyone who participated in our Fall Plant Sale. Your purchases raised over $7500 towards the maintenance and care of the gardens. We are incredibly grateful for your generosity and can't wait to see photos of your plants blooming! We still have a limited supply of select plants left from our fall plant sale. Our clearance sale is online only and being offered through till October 16th.  No additional discounts are being offered, as these plants have already been marked down to clearance prices. All proceeds go to support the gardens. Thank you for supporting a local 501c3 nonprofit (tax ID: 52-1396159) Added to the clearance sale are select bags of bulbs. Most of these bulbs are well suited to naturalize in woodland gardens and would do well even in filtered sun locations. Alternatively, they could be planted in containers. Shop the Clearance Sale Online Here Select pick-up times available: Wednesday, October 7, 10am - 12pm Noon Saturday, October 10, 10am - 12pm Noon Wednesday, October 14, 10am - 12pm Noon Saturday, October 17, 10am - 12pm Noon ​ Questions? Contact gardens@historiclondontown.org for help.  ​ Wild Crocus (pictured above), double colored Grape-Hyacinth and wild Daffodil bulbs are available in the clearance sale

UPDATED 10.8.2020 Thank you to everyone who has reached out about the tornado that touched down in Edgewater last night. Fortunately, the site overall appears to be in decent shape. We will continue to be open to the public our usual hours (Wednesday - Sunday, 10am - 4pm). However, several large trees and trees have fallen across the site, causing damage. We are still assessing the extent. Parts of the gardens will be closed as we work on cleaning up. This includes the following: Picnic Area (other picnic tables are available across the site) Sections of the Winter Walk Part of Sound & Sensory Garden, but the majority is now re-opened We don't know how long clean up will last and will update this post as things progress. If you'd like to make a donation to support our clean up and garden restoration efforts, all proceeds will go directly to the gardens. London Town is a 501c3 nonprofit (Tax ID 52-1396159). You can donate directly here: http://bit.ly/tornadoLT

Learning at London Town: The Fabric of Life Wednesday, October 14 1 pm – 3 pm ​ Saturday, October 17 10 am - 12 pm ​ Experience the fabrics of colonial life - woolens, linens, cottons, and silks!  Help process some of the natural fibers that were the basis for colonial clothing.  Fabric patterns were often block printed on colonial textiles – design and print your own pattern to take home!  ​ For the safety of participants and staff, this event will be held outside with appropriate distancing, group sizes, and cleaning in accordance with CDC and local guidance. ​ $8 for member children grades 1 - 4 (become one today!) $10 for non-member children grades 1 - 4 ​ Pre-registration Required Limited spots available ​​ REGISTER HERE Learn more about our COVID-19 policies here (scroll down to blue box) Want to schedule a private group for any Learning at London Town activities? Learn more.

Show Some Love for London Town! Historic London Town & Gardens is going virtual for this year's benefit. Bid on an eclectic array of auction items online. Free to register. Preview and register at www.charityauction.bid/historiclondontown All proceeds will support the mission of the 501c3 non-profit museum and gardens (Tax ID: 52-1396159) Starts: Sat., Nov. 7, 8am Ends: Fri., Nov. 13, 10pm

Through October 16 We still have a limited supply of select plants left from our fall plant sale. Our clearance sale is online only and being offered through till October 16th. No additional discounts are being offered, as these plants have already been marked down to clearance prices. All proceeds go to support the gardens. Thank you for supporting a local 501c3 nonprofit (tax ID: 52-1396159) Added to the clearance sale are select bags of bulbs. Most of these bulbs are well suited to naturalize in woodland gardens and would do well even in filtered sun locations. Alternatively, they could be planted in containers. Select pick-up times available: Wednesday, October 7, 10am - 12pm Noon Saturday, October 10, 10am - 12pm Noon Wednesday, October 14, 10am - 12pm Noon Saturday, October 17, 10am - 12pm Noon ​​ Shop the Sale Online Here: https://historiclondontown.z2systems.com/np/clients/historiclondontown/giftstore.jsp ​ Questions? Contact gardens@historiclondontown.org for help. ​ Wild Crocus (pictured above), double colored Grape-Hyacinth and wild Daffodil bulbs are available in the clearance sale

Mums and Ornamental Peppers Shorter days and longer nights call for Mums (Chrysanthemum sps.) to go in bloom craziness instantly. But are mums true annuals or perennials? Should you stick them in the ground or leave then in the pots? Yellow Mums Over the years, plant breeders have come up with hundreds of shades of mums individually, as well as 2-3 color combinations in one single container. Chrysanthemums belonging to the Asteraceae family are perennials, but they are treated as annuals by breeders, who are mainly aiming for defined colors. The containers that are sold as annuals are developed to highlight the flower quantity and size as opposed to a healthy perennial with a well developed underground rhizome that will establish well and come back year after year. But for us in zone 7, if you can find mums in early fall, you could still try to plant them in the ground and give it a shot. After you plant in the ground and the mums have bloomed to their glory, don't get tempted to cut them back right away. Wait till early spring or late winter to cut the dead out, look for the new growth emerging on the stems, that needs to be tended to carefully. Spacing mums is key, they need good air flow. Cock's Comb (Celosia) Filling up nursery shelves quickly are also bright Celosias (Cock's comb) and ornamental peppers. Celosia belonging to the Amaranth family comes in stunning bright pink flower heads. Easy to grow by seed, you can direct sow them in spring. Ornamental Peppers (and Mums) One of my fall favorites is 'Purple Flash' Ornamental Peppers. With leaves deep purple to almost black and peppers in shades of deep purple, lilac and even orange in one single plant, it makes for a stunning combination with any lighter color plants. "Peppers were one of the earliest plants cultivated in the New World. Archeological evidence suggests that peppers were used as food ingredients in Peru more than 8,000 years ago. Columbus mistakenly applied the label ‘pepper’ to the plant he found growing in Caribbean gardens, likely confusing it with the highly prized but botanically unrelated black pepper." Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder Brightly colored peppers Mums, peppers, cock's comb... there are ample colors to choose from to enhance your fall garden flavors. But fall is also a great time to get hundreds of perennials in the ground. Next week, we will feature some select Azaleas we are getting in the ground at London Town. Also, if you missed out or are still interested in getting more plants, we have a good select variety left over from plant sale. Stop by during visiting hours and choose from ground covers, shrubs, bright mums and other fall flavors.

Learning at London Town: The Fabric of Life Wednesday, October 14 1 pm – 3 pm ​ Saturday, October 17 10 am - 12 pm ​ Experience the fabrics of colonial life - woolens, linens, cottons, and silks!  Help process some of the natural fibers that were the basis for colonial clothing.  Fabric patterns were often block printed on colonial textiles – design and print your own pattern to take home!  ​ For the safety of participants and staff, this event will be held outside with appropriate distancing, group sizes, and cleaning in accordance with CDC and local guidance. ​ $8 for member children grades 1 - 4 (become one today!) $10 for non-member children grades 1 - 4 ​ Pre-registration Required Limited spots available ​​ REGISTER HERE

2020 has been a year full of drastic changes to the normal rhythm of our lives. We want to know how you're doing and what's important to you in this era of change. Will you take a 5 minute survey to tell us about your needs and priorities? This information will be used to shape how London Town serves its community through programs, long , activities, and long term planning efforts. Thank you for taking the time to make London Town more relevant to its visitors! Take the Survey Here

Sharing garden treasures, one seed at a time, one vision and immense passion for all things that photosynthesize! Passion is innate. Passion for nature when deeply innate, should be shared. One garden to another, one generation to the next, and one habitat to many. At this weekend's fall Plant Sale (today 09/25 for members and 09/26 open to all) will be all things that photosynthesize and much more! Pitcher Plant Exploring nature with young ones and teaching them to explore is even more crucial than ever before. All things that photosynthesize are cool! But is anything more cool than a carnivorous plant? A darling for the young or old, this weekend's plant sale will also feature a select few plants of Darlingtonia californica, the carnivorous Pitcher plant! More information. For the young ones, you can also 'take home to make' nature themed kits ($15!) with an easy to grow companion plants and fun accessories. Planters for sale Also, in addition to all things that are able to photosynthesize, there will be: artistic fall planters hand crafted by our dedicated garden volunteers intensely aromatic dry lavender bundles and wands dry flower and herb arrangements outdoor fall planters with interesting plant combinations Amongst the shrubs and perennials you will find will be many ornamental sun and shade choices: Sarah Bernhardt Peonies Holly leaf Hellebores 'Winter's Star' Camellia Oak Leaf hydrangeas Mahonias Toad Lilies Rhodeas And any more woodland treasures! The specialty Azaleas (deciduous and Evergreen), select ground covers, and for those who know their trees well, the Redwood tree seedling will definitely be a grab! If you are a patient and passionate gardener or happen to know one, the freshly collected seeds will be the real treasures. Seeds, plants, plant parts, take some for you or some to share. We look forward to sharing the gardens with you at the fall plant sale. Details on timings and dates: https://www.historiclondontown.org/plantsale.

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), more than 3,654 plant species are endangered. That is more than 20% of all species. That is why London Town is working to increase our conservation efforts. We’re growing, propagating, and saving seeds from endangered or threatened plants. The IUCN has developed a “red list” of threatened species. You can check out the name of any plant (or animal) to see if it’s on the list: https://www.iucnredlist.org/ There are many ways to support plant conservation. That can include donating to the IUCN or another organization, like the Botanic Garden Conservation Index, that tracks plants in our changing world. You can also take home a plant or seeds from our gardens (or a representative of our collections) at our Plant Sale on Saturday, September 26, 9am – 2pm. Free to attend. Learn more at www.historiclondontown.org/plantsale. And check out the list of plants for sale at www.bit.ly/2020plantlist.

When you come to the Plant Sale on Saturday, September 26 (9am – 2pm), you can take home something truly special: seeds collected from plants in London Town’s gardens. All seeds were collected this summer. What seeds can you get? Here’s just a sampling: • Azaleas and Rhododendrons • Calla Lilies • Hearts-a-Burstin (Euonymus americanus) • Hollies (Ilex sps.) • Horse Chestnut Tree (Aesculus sp.) • Jack in the Pulpits (Arisaema triphyllum) • Japanese Andromeda (Pieris japonica) And many more! Find the full list at www.bit.ly/2020plantlist.