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Kalmia Gardens - The Laurel Branch
October 07, 2024
Welcome to our e-newsletter, "The Laurel Branch."
Pergola Gets a Facelift
We are excited to announce that the pergola at the Formal Lawn has received a facelift. Thanks to the hard work of our Advisory Board and everyone who donates to the Gardens, we now have a refreshed pergola. Time and exposure had caused some boards to rot. These boards were replaced, and the pergola received a deep cleaning followed by fresh coats of paint. We were proud to check this item off our list of current maintenance projects. We would not be able to complete these projects without the support of our donors, so THANK YOU!
Adopt-a-Stream-Training
Our dedicated volunteer, Nancy Ellis, will lead an AAS training on October 30th from 9 a.m. – to 3 p.m. at the Joslin Education Center. The course is free. Once you have been certified, you can start monthly sampling of your favorite freshwater waterbody and enter the data it into the ASS database. This is a citizen science project and not a regulatory project. All AAS data is open for the public to view. If you want more information, email dhill@coker.edu, and he will point you in the right direction. Remember, we all live downstream.
Chris’s Tip
Pine straw, what can I say? It is the time of year again to make friends with this excellent all-natural garden helper. There are many uses for pine needles from the many pine species we have in the area. We have Loblolly pine, Pinus taeda, Longleaf pine, and Pinus palustris, just to name a few. The leaves of these trees, commonly known as pine straw, are an excellent tool for mulching your beds. This time of the year, you begin seeing pine straw everywhere you look. You might see it in scarecrow decorations, tractor rides, and most notably in the garden. Pine straw is a great resource when redefining your garden bed and giving your plants some insulation to prep for the cooler temperatures. Pine straw’s resume is a long one. It can help protect your plants from overwatering, repel pesky insects, and prevent soil erosion much better than mulch can. Pine straw is a great natural and readily available resource; remember that that too much of a good thing can be bad. Be aware not to make a “mulch volcano” around your trees. If you have any questions, stop by and ask a staff member— we’re here to help.Dan’s Interesting Plant
In this issue of the Laurel Branch, my interesting plant is the sparkleberry, Vaccinium arboretum. Contrary to its common name, this shrub does not physically sparkle, but that does not stop it from being a true gem here at the Gardens. This plant has small oval leaves with very faint-toothed margins. The real treat is its small, delicate white bell-shaped flowers that turn into small dark-colored fruits. If you know your scientific names, you could have guessed that this plant is related to the blueberry plant we all know well. The sparkleberry’s fruits are technically edible but are tragically not as sweet and tasty as their cousin’s berries. They are drier and more bitter than blueberries and are much more appetizing to wildlife than they are to us humans. This lovely plant can grow quite round and tall in peak conditions. The sparkleberry can grow between 6 and 10 feet tall over its life span. This plant is relatively widespread in its range, reaching from Virginia down to parts of Florida. Sparkleberry is evergreen in warmer states but can be deciduous and lose its leaves towards the plunging northern temperatures. This excellent little plant has a variety of places it can live, and we are glad that we are lucky enough to have such a sparkling gem of a plant here in the Gardens.
Beautiful Plants of Kalmia Gardens
Abelia (Abelia grandiflora)
Aster (Aster pilosus)
Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana)
Beech (Fagus grandiflora)
Begonia, Winged (Begoniaceae sp.)
Black Gum (Nyssa sylvatica)
Butterfly Bush (Buddleja davidii)
Camellia (Camellia japonica)
Chrysanthemum (Asteraceae sp.)
Crepe Myrtle (Lagerstremia indica)
Dayflower (Commelina sp.)
Dogwood (Cornus florida)
Goldenrod (Solidago sp.)
Hearts-a-bustin’ (Euonymus americana)
Lantana (Lantana sp.)
Maples (Acer sp.)
Pomegranate (Punica granatum)
Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus)
Sage, Mexican (Salvia sp.)
Sage, Pineapple (Salvia rutilans)
Sasanqua (Camellia sasanqua)
Sassafras (Sassafras albidum)
Sourwood (Oxydendrum arboreum)
Sparkleberry (Vaccinium arboreum)
Sunflower, swamp (Helianthus sp.)
Sweet Gum (Liquidambar styraciflua)
Tea (Camellia sinensis)
Tea Olive (Osmanthus fragrans)
Tulip poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera)
Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolium)
Viburnum, Possumhaw (Viburnum nudum)EVENTS:
Adopt-A-Stream-Training Wednesday, October 30, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Christmas Open House Sunday, December 8, 3 p.m. - 5 p.m.
Annual Oyster Roast Fundraiser, Saturday, March 15, 4 p.m. - 7 p.m.Find Us On Facebook
If you are on Facebook, make sure you “like” Kalmia Gardens. It’s a great way to hear about events, stay updated on what’s happening, and view some nice pictures. We look forward to seeing your “thumbs up.”
Contact:Dan Hill, Director Kalmia Gardens of Coker Universitydhill@coker.edu, (843) 383-8145