Who Wears the Best Rosy Red: Azaleas, Japanese Pieris, or Spice Bush? Latin Botanical Names Give Clues About Colors and Origin Rubra, Flava, or Alba give out hints that the flower of the species are either Red, Yellow, or White, respectively. Whereas Japonica, Montana, or Nana say that the species are from Japan, the mountains, and, dwarf, respectively. As complicated as some botanical names are, sometimes it is easy to remember them if you pay close attention to the Latin linguistics. Either the Latin name refers to the plant origin or color, or sometimes the specific variety/ common name gives out the hint of which color the flowers or leaves might be. Lets zoom in on Hema, Rubra, and Rosea. All refer to the color red. Currently, three plants at London Town are showing a deep shade of red in their flowers and/or leaves. These are Calycanthus raulstonii ‘Hartlage wine', Pieris japonica ‘red mill’ and Azalea 'Marshy point red tape'. Spice Bush, Calycanthus raulstonii 'Hartlage wine' Calycanthus raulstonii 'Hartlage wine' (also known as Spice Bush) is an excellent shrub, commonly known for its deep maroon flowers. In this case, part of the variety name 'wine' gives out the hint that it might be deep red, whereas the Latin names are specific to the breeders' names. "‘Hartlage Wine’ is the original clone of this intrageneric cross. It was named after student Richard Hartlage who crossed Sinocalycanthus chinensis (Chinese species) with Calycanthus floridus (U.S. species)." Source. Japanese Pieris, Pieris Japonica 'Red mill' Another plant with hints of rosy red is Pieris japonica 'Red mill' (also known as Japanese Pieris). "[Pieris japonica] ‘Red Mill’ is a popular cultivar that is particularly noted for the fiery red color of its newly emerging foliage". Source Marshy Point Azaleas, Rhododendron 'Marshy point red tape' is an extra special Azalea addition to London Town. Its deep red flower color sets it apart from the rest of the collections, but it is also a Marshy point variety addition that we are thrilled to begin planting this spring. The Potomac Valley Chapter of the American Rhododendron Society graciously donated over 25 unique varieties to London Town as part of their Legacy project. Thanks to Carolyn Beck, Don Hyatt and Carol Segree, we now have many red/rosea/haema shades of Azaleas that will adorn the deep green hillsides of the woodland gardens. More Information: Other Colors and Latin Name Hints Curious about other colors and Latin name hints? Check out the following link from Iowa State Extension.

Flowers, florets of simple and complex forms. Flowers come in numerous shapes, sizes and color. Some that appear simple are sometimes multi-fold complex in their anatomical features and their origin. For eg. an Evening Primrose's (Oenothera speciosa) pink flower and Chinese Sweetshrub (Calycanthus chinesis) might appear similar in that the outer layers have simple 4-7 petals. Both are whitish pink, have no fragrance, and are delicate and solitary in appearance. However, as simple as the Primrose flowers are with a single layer of petals, the Calycanthus chinensis are far too complex. Not only is it a rare plant in the wild, what appears as petals are actually a layer of tepals. They have not one, but two layers of tepals: a white outer layer and an inner smaller yellow layer. Sweetshrub (Calycanthus chinensis (or Sinocalycanthus) is a distinct woodland shrub that flowers in May. "While presently established in several public gardens and a few private gardens in England, Holland, Canada, and the United States, Sinocalycanthus is largely unknown in botanical and horticultural circles". Source Another complex flower is of the Arum family, Arum maculatum. Here the flowers are borne on an inflorescence stalk called "spadix," and it is enclosed in a hood shaped spathe. The flowers actually are tucked inside at the bottom on the spathe, with a ring of male flowers at the base and female above. Too complex? Or are the precious flowers of Dogwood even more so? Cornus species, or Dogwoods, are known for their showy flowers have flowers that are almost inconspicuous and complex. What appears as petals are true bracts (modified leaves) with true flowers tucked inside at the center in a pinchusion shape. Featured is a variety of Cornus 'Rutpink' a new variety from Rutgers University. It is not a hybrid, but a species selected after many generations of intercrossing different forms. Flowers, florets, inflorescence, simple, complex or inconspicuous, flowers come in numerous shapes and sizes. Look up close though, what sometimes seems simple is sometimes far too complex. But simple or complex, their purpose is the same, to propagate and help the species thrive. Grow the ReLeaf Fund Recently, London Town launched the ReLeaf Fund. This newly created fund was inspired by the cycle of renewal in our gardens. Donations to it will ensure that London Town will grow again. Funds will be matched up to $35,000! Learn more and donate today! London Town: Today and Tomorrow Survey You may have noticed an increase in our online postings lately. Will you take a short survey about what posts and virtual programs you'd like? You can also share your thoughts about re-opening London Town and what sort of programs you'd like to see after the crisis is over. Take the survey here

Welcome back to another "A Sin and A Secret." Mix yourself a drink based on a colonial recipe and then curl with a completely true, completely salacious story. Enjoy a new #ASinAndASecret post every week. Read more in the series here. Sheep Thieves In the middle of the night in May, 1773, unknown criminals came ashore at London Town. They herded 13 sheep onto a boat. The sheep belonged to London Town merchant, James Dick. All told, 11 ewes and 2 ram lambs were taken. The boat, presumed to be a bateau, left an impression on the mud of the shoreline. The sheep were probably grazing on the portion of the peninsula still considered London Town today, and the boat may well have landed on our grounds. After absconding with the sheep, the thieves sailed out of the South River. They sailed up the Severn River to Annapolis where they presumably sold the sheep. With a story about stealing sheep, how could we not pair this with the colonial drink, Lamb's Wool? The name comes from the appearance of the fluffy apple pulp floating on the bowl's surface. Lamb's Wool 1.5 lbs apples, cored 1 quart brown ale 1 tablespoon sugar (or to taste) Sprinkling of nutmeg and ginger Core the apples and bake the apples at 375 degrees until they burst (about 30 minutes). After cooling, peel and mash to a pulp. Heat ale and add spices and apple pulp. Pour into a punch bowl and serve hot. Makes eight 3-ounce servings. Grow the ReLeaf Fund Recently, London Town launched the ReLeaf Fund. This newly created fund was inspired by the cycle of renewal in our gardens. Donations to it will ensure that London Town will grow again. Funds will be matched up to $35,000! Learn more and donate today! London Town: Today and Tomorrow Survey You may have noticed an increase in our online postings lately. Will you take a short survey about what posts and virtual programs you'd like? You can also share your thoughts about re-opening London Town and what sort of programs you'd like to see after the crisis is over. Take the survey here Select Drink Recipe Sources for the Series: Alderman, Clifford Lindsey, "Of Drinks & Drinkers," Early American Life, December 1975, pgs 87-88, 91 - 93 Bullock, Helen, The Williamsburg Art of Cookery or Accomplished Gentlewoman's Companion: Being a Collection of Upwards of Five Hundred of the Most Ancient and Approv'd Recipes in Virginia Cookery, Colonial Williamsburg and Dietz Press: Richmond, VA, 1938 Carr, Eve, "Home-Grown Treats," Mid-Atlantic Country, December, 1986 pgs. 34 - 35, 58 Gaspee Days Committee, www.gaspee.org/colonialrecipes.html Mackin, Jeanne, "Flowing Bowl," Americana, pgs. 39 - 41 Stief, Frederick Philip, Eat, Drink, & Be Merry in Maryland, Johns Hopkins Press: Baltimore, MD, 1932 Tilp, Frederick, "Tips on Tippling from Tidewater Maryland," Maryland Magazine, 1978, pgs. 14 - 17

Interviews in this series were conducted by Teresa Marcus, Community Engagement Coordinator, and Chelsea Kelly, Naturalist COVID-19 has brought waves of uncertainty throughout many communities. Historic London Town would like to take this time to record the voices of some in our community who have been deeply affected. In this series, we interviewed community members to gain their insight on how they have been affected by this global event. In today’s #CommunityConnection, we’re talking to Lauren Muney, historic silhouette artist at Silhouettes By Hand. Can you tell us more about your work? I cut silhouettes freehand in the historical manner, with only scissors - without drawing, tracing any shadow, or using any machinery or software. I live in Baltimore, but I travel across the world cutting silhouettes. What do you love about your job? Making people happy with a historic portrait form. People find silhouettes charming, adorable, and sometimes nostalgic. I love talking about how this portrait form is part of their own history, as their parents, grandparents, and great-greats had silhouettes made - before photography was invented and even when photographs were plentiful. What is the biggest challenge of your job? Helping people understand that a freehand-scissored portrait is not an exact photograph of the loved one. It’s amazing, but nothing can be a photograph except a photograph. You can see the examples here - these silhouettes were all cut freehand with scissors, but they are handmade, not photographic. What is the hardest part of the COVID-19 situation? All of my in-person events across the globe are canceled, at least until August. That means, except for mail orders that come in, I have no income. I had events - favorite ones, too - scheduled at museums, corporate events, weddings, festivities. I had a full national and international schedule in my calendar; some public events, some private events. All of the facilities and hosts are sad too - we are all together being heartsick and upheaved, and we miss meeting people in person. When this all ends what are you most looking forward to? I will be most excited to meet people again and cut silhouettes live, in person. Crossing fingers we will still have enjoyable in-person fall and winter events. However I’ve also used this pandemic-shutdown to innovate and source new silhouette offerings, which I am inputting into my website after developing. I’ve been practicing new techniques daily, such as cutting full-length silhouettes. What can people do to help your community? Many artists like me are taking mail-orders - be festive in your choices for things to do in the pandemic. If you can afford to buy things, enjoy this opportunity to shop online. Just because we can't meet you at big events, we can still fulfill orders from our home studios. I’ve done mail orders for years, because I meet and inspire so many people across the world. People were especially ordering silhouettes for Mother’s Day; and this week I even had orders from New Zealand and Canada as well as across the USA. My website is www.silhouettesbyhand.com where I have the most information, and the Mail Order. I also have interesting photos on my Instagram at artisanal_selfie, and my Facebook https://www.facebook.com/SilhouettesByHand Grow the ReLeaf Fund Recently, London Town launched the ReLeaf Fund. This newly created fund was inspired by the cycle of renewal in our gardens. Donations to it will ensure that London Town will grow again. Funds will be matched up to $35,000! Learn more and donate today! London Town: Today and Tomorrow Survey You may have noticed an increase in our online postings lately. Will you take a short survey about what posts and virtual programs you'd like? You can also share your thoughts about re-opening London Town and what sort of programs you'd like to see after the crisis is over. Take the survey here

London Town's gardens and grounds reopen to the public beginning this weekend! Join us Friday, May 22 - Sunday, May 24, 10:00am - 4:30pm. We are re-opening in conjunction with county and state regulations as well as guidance from the Center for Disease Control. As such, there are several new policies planned to keep you and all visitors healthy and safe. If you’d like to visit, please register online here. For the first weekend, registration is free and strongly encouraged to ensure your access to the site. We will have limited capacity and may need to temporarily bar new guests who have not pre-registered. After this welcome back weekend, there will be a small fee to attend (or become a member! Members are always free to visit!) ​ Register for Free Online Here ​ Registration Requirements You are registering for a timed ticket, and your visit needs to occur within this time frame. We ask that you leave London Town when your time is up. You can check in at Greenhouse when you arrive. Simply give your name or show your registration. There will be no contact involved. Registration closes one hour before the time slot begins or when no more openings for reservations are available. No gatherings larger than 10 people will be allowed. The site may close if larger numbers appear than can be accommodated. Additionally, grounds may close if unsafe weather conditions arise since there are no covered spaces open. New Policies To ensure your health and safety, please follow these new policies: If you are sick, please stay home. Wash your hands or use hand sanitizer before and after your visit. Advance registration is strongly encouraged to ensure reduced traffic. Only the gardens and grounds will be open. All buildings and facilities (including the Visitor Center, historic area buildings, picnic area, and Sound and Sensory Garden) are all closed to the public. Consider wearing a face mask for the safety of you and others. Follow the route set up through the gardens to minimize cross traffic. Please abide by these directions. Practice social distancing. Leave six feet of space between you and others. If you wish to pass another person, please announce yourself and your intentions so that other person may move out of your way. No trash cans will be available on site. Anything brought on site needs to be taken off site. No bathrooms will be available on site. No picnics. If you do not follow these policies, you will be asked to leave. Please note that these policies may be updated or change at any time. The health and safety of our members, volunteers, and staff is our first priority. Mandates and recommendations from government officials and the Center for Disease Control may change our ability to follow this new limited opening plan. If we find that guests are not following appropriate social distancing or other guidelines, we may be forced to completely close again. This is a new and challenging set of circumstances for us here at London Town. Our main concern is the health and safety of you and everyone else on site. This is just the first phase of what is expected to be a series of phases of openings. These phases will be enacted on the guidance from government and health authorities. Next phases will be shared next as they become available. We want to get back to normal operations as soon as possible, but that will take some time. If you have any concerns or questions, feel free to contact us at londontown@historiclondontown.org.

As we continue #NationalPublicGardenWeek and #MuseumWeek, London Town's new director of public programs Diana Klein shares how to get started creating a "worm bin" (also known as a vermicomposting or vermiculture bin). These bins are easy, scaleable, and great for those of us with small spaces. Plus they'll give you a nutrient rich fertilizer to use in your garden - whatever the size! Watch the video for more information. What did you think? Share your feedback in the comments below! Grow the ReLeaf Fund Recently, London Town launched the ReLeaf Fund. This newly created fund was inspired by the cycle of renewal in our gardens. Donations to it will ensure that London Town will grow again. Funds will be matched up to $35,000! Learn more and donate today! London Town: Today and Tomorrow Survey You may have noticed an increase in our online postings lately. Will you take a short survey about what posts and virtual programs you'd like? You can also share your thoughts about re-opening London Town and what sort of programs you'd like to see after the crisis is over. Take the survey here

Welcome back to another "A Sin and A Secret." Mix yourself a drink based on a colonial recipe and then curl with a completely true, completely salacious story. Enjoy a new #ASinAndASecret post every week. Read more in the series here. Isabella Arena and Elizabeth Kelly Residents of Anne Arundel County were no strangers to disruptive women in taverns. In November of 1747, an Annapolis tavern keeper named Elizabeth Kelly found herself embroiled in a court case with a woman named Isabella Arena. Isabella charged her with an assault, saying Kelly “did beat, wound, and evilly treat [me] so that [my] life it was despaired.” Elizabeth remembered a very different version of events. She recalled that Isabella “was drunk with drinking strong liquors and did with force and arms come into the dwelling house.” Upon discovering Isabella to be drunk, Elizabeth told her to leave, which Isabella “altogether refused to do.” Elizabeth then “gently put her hand upon the aforesaid Isabella to cause her… to go out of the dwelling house.” Elizabeth claimed that any injury done to Isabella was due to Isabella’s drunkenness, not an assault. The court decided in Elizabeth’s favor and ordered Isabella to pay 456 to Elizabeth for court costs and damages. In honor of this belligerent encounter, we have paired this story with a modern cocktail with plenty of alcohol. Long Island Iced Tea · 3/4 oz Vodka · 3/4 oz White rum · 3/4 oz Silver tequila · 3/4 oz Gin · 3/4 oz Triple sec · 3/4 oz Simple Syrup · 3/4 oz Fresh lemon juice · Cola, to top · Garnish: Lemon wedge 1. To a cocktail shaker full of ice, add all ingredients MINUS the cola and shake until cold. 2. Strain into serving glass full of ice, top with cola for color and garnish with lemon wedge. 3. Enjoy responsibly! Select Drink Recipe Sources for the Series: Alderman, Clifford Lindsey, "Of Drinks & Drinkers," Early American Life, December 1975, pgs 87-88, 91 - 93 Bullock, Helen, The Williamsburg Art of Cookery or Accomplished Gentlewoman's Companion: Being a Collection of Upwards of Five Hundred of the Most Ancient and Approv'd Recipes in Virginia Cookery, Colonial Williamsburg and Dietz Press: Richmond, VA, 1938 Carr, Eve, "Home-Grown Treats," Mid-Atlantic Country, December, 1986 pgs. 34 - 35, 58 Gaspee Days Committee, www.gaspee.org/colonialrecipes.html Mackin, Jeanne, "Flowing Bowl," Americana, pgs. 39 - 41 Stief, Frederick Philip, Eat, Drink, & Be Merry in Maryland, Johns Hopkins Press: Baltimore, MD, 1932 Tilp, Frederick, "Tips on Tippling from Tidewater Maryland," Maryland Magazine, 1978, pgs. 14 - 17 Grow the ReLeaf Fund Recently, London Town launched the ReLeaf Fund. This newly created fund was inspired by the cycle of renewal in our gardens. Donations to it will ensure that London Town will grow again. Funds will be matched up to $35,000! Learn more and donate today! London Town: Today and Tomorrow Survey You may have noticed an increase in our online postings lately. Will you take a short survey about what posts and virtual programs you'd like? You can also share your thoughts about re-opening London Town and what sort of programs you'd like to see after the crisis is over. Take the survey here

To top off your Memorial Day cookout, we’ve got a cold pickle recipe that’s fun for the whole family. What are pickles? Pickles are fruits and vegetables that have undergone a process called pickling, during which foods are stored in brine or vinegar solutions to keep them fresh. Today, many people eat pickles for their flavor, but, in the days before refrigeration, food preservation methods, like pickling, were necessary to make sure that harvested foods lasted through the long winter. In the colonial era, people preserved all kinds of foods – meats, fruits, vegetables, even eggs. Fruits and vegetables were dried by sun, air, or fire, turned into jellies and jams, and pickled. Meats were smoked over a low flame for days or rubbed with, and stored in, salt to draw out moisture. Colonists potted meat, packing it tightly into a jar with butter, lard, or tallow (rendered beef fat), they also pickled it, and pickled eggs! You can still find many of these types of meat preservation in grocery stores today. Jerky is smoked, corned beef is salted, tuna is potted, and herring is pickled. What other kinds of meat can you think of that have been preserved? Recently, we have seen a lot in the news about a fear of food shortages. Some people are starting gardens and building chicken coops to be more self-sufficient, others are trying to limit the number of trips they make to the store and are buying more preserved foods – dried beans, canned vegetables, and frozen fruits. While there have been many food inventions since the colonial era, from pasteurized milk to molecular gastronomy, the need for reliably preserved food is still very much a part of our lives today. Recipe: Cold Pickles Ingredients 1 1/2 cups water 3 tablespoons white vinegar or apple cider vinegar 1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt 1 large cucumber, sliced into rounds or spears Variety of spices and sugar to taste, such as mustard seed, dill, allspice, clove, black peppercorns, etc Kitchen Tools Pitcher Knife 2 pint-sized mason jars 1 long handle spoon Cutting board Instructions Add water, vinegar, salt, and sugar in a pitcher to make a brine solution. Stir with spoon to combine. Add to each jar: spices to taste, 1/2 sliced cucumber, brine solution Place the lids on the jars and shake to combine Refrigerate for at least 2 days before eating Pickles will last 1 week while in a sealed container in the refrigerator. Experiment with different ingredients, like carrots or peppers for other fun pickle varieties! Print a colorful flyer with our recipe (PDF) below: Tag your cold pickle pics with @historiclondontown or #historiclondontown on social media. Visit us at our Facebook or Instagram pages. Grow the ReLeaf Fund Recently, London Town launched the ReLeaf Fund. This newly created fund was inspired by the cycle of renewal in our gardens. Donations to it will ensure that London Town will grow again. Funds will be matched up to $35,000! Learn more and donate today! London Town: Today and Tomorrow Survey You may have noticed an increase in our online postings lately. Will you take a short survey about what posts and virtual programs you'd like? You can also share your thoughts about re-opening London Town and what sort of programs you'd like to see after the crisis is over. Take the survey here

COVID-19 has brought waves of uncertainty throughout many communities. Historic London Town would like to take this time to record the voices of some in our community who have been deeply affected. In this series, we interviewed community members to gain their insight on how they have been affected by this global event. In today’s #CommunityConnection, we’re talking to Hailey Taylor, Founder of Kittens in Cups What do you love about your job? In one word: cats. It warms my heart to be able to care for them and love them while they are waiting for their forever homes. Working with the SPCA of Anne Arundel County (AASPCA) has always been a dream of mine, and I feel incredibly lucky to be able to give back to my community. Owning my own business has also been a dream, and I feel so lucky to be able to merge my creative talents and love for animals into my dream job. What is the biggest challenge of your job? Being a first-time business owner has definitely been a challenge. I started this venture straight out of graduating from college with only an art degree. I have learned so much about business and cat care in these 3 years of being open. We have big dreams for the future and can’t wait to continue to help cats and bring joy to others. What is the hardest part of the COVID-19 situation? Mainly not being allowed to open. The cats would love more people to interact with and vice versa. Financially we are hanging in there as many others are, but it has been tough. Fortunately, our community has been super supportive in helping us continue to take care of the cats. We feel truly blessed and can’t wait to share our joy with everyone when we reopen. When this all ends what are you most looking forward to? We hope that once we are able to reopen, we can help give some comfort and peace to everyone through our lounge. We plan on doing a lot of fun craft and paint nights, and lots of adoptions! What can people do to help your community? Right now, we encourage everyone to support one another by being kind, staying home, and being respectful. We also want to encourage others to support small businesses and their local animal shelters in any way they can. The AACSPCA is continuing to take foster and adoption applications, however there will be no private meetings allowed until after the Pandemic. We have made videos on each of our cat lounge cats for adopters as well. If you would like to support us, we have a variety of ways to do so by donating to our GoFundMe, purchasing some cat merchandise or gift cards, or by simply sharing our posts. We hope everyone is staying healthy and safe, we can’t wait to see you soon! Grow the ReLeaf Fund Recently, London Town launched the ReLeaf Fund. This newly created fund was inspired by the cycle of renewal in our gardens. Donations to it will ensure that London Town will grow again. Funds will be matched up to $35,000! Learn more and donate today! London Town: Today and Tomorrow Survey You may have noticed an increase in our online postings lately. Will you take a short survey about what posts and virtual programs you'd like? You can also share your thoughts about re-opening London Town and what sort of programs you'd like to see after the crisis is over. Take the survey here

With her feet in the shade and tops in the sun, Clematis makes for a thriving queen for seasons to come. The flowers actually lack true petals. The stunning display is done by the 'tepals' (modified sepals) that come in variety of colors. Purple-blue being the most common, Clematis jackmanii. Clematis belongs to the Ranunculaceae family and there are over 250 species and over 500 varieties in the trade. When and How to Plant Clematis "The best time to plant clematis is early spring. However, containerized plants can be planted throughout the growing season. They should be planted where they will receive at least six hours of sunlight a day, east and south exposures are ideal. The crown should be planted an inch below the soil surface to encourage multiple shoots and provide winter protection. If roots are crowded, straighten them out before planting. The planting site should be well drained yet have good water holding capacity”. Source Where to Plant Clematis The planting location is the key for Clematis. Even though the plants prefer at least 6 hrs of full sun, their roots prefer a cool soil. This can be done by planting in partly shaded areas. Even mulch, low-growing plants or ground covers could provide shade for the heat-sensitive Clematis roots. Sedums, Spiderwort, and Daylilies are some good examples for perennial plants near the base. Feet in the shade and tops in the sun, always makes for a thriving Clematis. Once established well, the 'queen of the vines' will rule in full glory for many years. If you crave for the fragrance vs the flower size, try the native fragrant vines. Grow the ReLeaf Fund Recently, London Town launched the ReLeaf Fund. This newly created fund was inspired by the cycle of renewal in our gardens. Donations to it will ensure that London Town will grow again. Funds will be matched up to $35,000! Learn more and donate today! London Town: Today and Tomorrow Survey You may have noticed an increase in our online postings lately. Will you take a short survey about what posts and virtual programs you'd like? You can also share your thoughts about re-opening London Town and what sort of programs you'd like to see after the crisis is over. Take the survey here

Even if we can't celebrate National Public Gardens Week together, we can still do so digitally! Did you know that London Town is a proud member of the American Public Gardens Association (APGA)? They have put together some great resources in celebration of National Public Gardens Week, which continues until May 17! Check out a few below: PlantSnap App The PlantSnap app allows users to identify plants with a simple click on their mobile device. Their open source plant database features 600,000+ plants and 200 million+ plant images. While they have a free version, PlantSnap is offering free no-term-limit Pro upgrades for donations of $20 or more to any garden through the MYGARDEN fundraising portal. You can designate any APGA member garden to receive the funds, including London Town! Plant Heroes Plantheroes.org is a great resource for parents and educators looking to engage kids while at home. Explore our pages and download activity books, field guides and more. And a Little Something From Us! All this week, make sure to visit our London Town from Anywhere blog, Facebook, and Instagram pages for articles, videos, and more in celebration of National Public Gardens Week. Let's kickstart the fun with this new video highlighting all the amazing things in London Town's gardens - from A to Z. Grow the ReLeaf Fund Recently, London Town launched the ReLeaf Fund. This newly created fund was inspired by the cycle of renewal in our gardens. Donations to it will ensure that London Town will grow again. Funds will be matched up to $35,000! Learn more and donate today! London Town: Today and Tomorrow Survey You may have noticed an increase in our online postings lately. Will you take a short survey about what posts and virtual programs you'd like? You can also share your thoughts about re-opening London Town and what sort of programs you'd like to see after the crisis is over. Take the survey here

#CompatibleCompanions: Companions of the rocky ground, sunshine and an 'everlasting' garden design, including Spiderwort, Salvia, and More Gardens are transient, one can only hope for them to be 'everlasting'. But when designed well and with thorough understanding of the original habitat in mind, they can seem to be "everlasting," requiring minor tweaking as seasons go by. Right planting combinations in the right habitat always makes for a happy design. Today, let's look at plant companions that enjoy: full sun dry/drought conditions good drainage and where they can simply do their thing and take over or spread The rock berm by the Visitor Center at London Town is currently coming alive with the late spring-summer blooms: Spiderworts Salvia Lavender Euphorbia Pincushion Flowers Agave And lots of rocks and drift wood to balance it off Spiderwort Tradescantia (Spiderwort) is a profusely blooming and a rewarding ground cover that blooms most of the year. "Spiderworts are easy-care plants for full sun to partial shade. Flower production is better in full sun, but part shade is beneficial where summer temperatures are hot. Spiderworts prefer moist, well-drained soils, but do not like their roots to be overly wet or dry." Source Salvia Salvia sps. is another wonderful addition to any rock berm. Lasting late spring to mid summer blooms with striking colors make this one of the best, maintenance free garden design winner. The deep purple color is healing in its own way, but there is ample to this plant and its healing properties. "The name Salvia ("salviya") derives from the Latin salvere ("to feel well and healthy, health, heal"), the verb related to salus (health, well-being, prosperity or salvation), referring to the herb's healing properties." Source Other Partnering Plants for Drought Like Conditions Amsonia, Euphorbia, Iris, Lavender, Agave, Scabiosa... there are many plants that can be paired together that enjoy the sun and drought like conditions. One striking pair is a combination of the sharp leaved Agave and the delicate pincushion flowers. The drastic contrast in their habit makes them a striking pair and the similar habitat makes them compatible companions of an 'everlasting' design. Most rock garden planting combinations will last long, if they have the right base to begin with, rocky-sandy mixture, and lots and lots of drainage. It also needs a palette that will allow it to thrive, meaning to spread out. This is not your manicured garden, but rather a garden that makes it own mosaic of colors once the species have established and made room for themselves. There are ample planting combinations for rock gardens. When done right, ample pollinators will also reap the rewards, wishing the rock garden is their everlasting supply of goodness. Grow the ReLeaf Fund Recently, London Town launched the ReLeaf Fund. This newly created fund was inspired by the cycle of renewal in our gardens. Donations to it will ensure that London Town will grow again. Funds will be matched up to $35,000! Learn more and donate today! London Town: Today and Tomorrow Survey You may have noticed an increase in our online postings lately. Will you take a short survey about what posts and virtual programs you'd like? You can also share your thoughts about re-opening London Town and what sort of programs you'd like to see after the crisis is over. Take the survey here