Jeff Gillman was in town this weekend. He's a native of Pughtown, Chester County, and author of "The Truth about Organic Gardening" and "The Truth about Garden Remedies." He came to speak at Bartram's Garden. A handful of us braved the cold temperatures and rainy, gray day to come out and hear his entertaining talk, which began with what is probably the quintessential "take" on this historic garden.
He said he'd been a horticulturist for 20 years, known about John Bartram for 15, and until now had no idea that Bartram's Garden existed. That is stunning. And sad. And tells you the job that faces the new director Louise Turan.
As you can see from this photo, the garden is an evocative place even on a dreary day. It was abloom with redbud, dogwood and cherry trees, azaleas and rhododendrons and drifts of Celandine or wood poppy and golden ragwort. The kitchen garden was coming along, too.
Jeff has a bee in his bonnet about gardeners who "will jump at anything, anything, if it says 'natural,' " thinking that "natural" means it's necessarily safe. "That really bugs me," he said, "and it bugs me a lot."
Pyrethrum, for example, is the most commonly used organic pesticide. Made from crysanthemums, it works - and it works fast. But it kills beneficial insects, as well as pests, and is not completely safe for humans. So be careful, he said.
Jeff had a few tips. For blackspot on roses, he recommended spraying once a week with a mix of one part milk, two parts water. You can use any kind of milk - skim, 1, 2 percent or whole. No one's quite sure why it works and that isn't likely to change soon. Research money for organics is scarce. (Same goes for alternative medicine.)
Just as I'm launching into roses, Jeff opines that we have too much rose worship in this country. The hybrid teas are so temperamental. Best choice? Rosa rugosa, he says. It's tough, it doesn't get blackspot or mildew and it has a lovely fragrance. He acknowledged later that he likes shrub roses as much as anyone, and Knock Outs and Carefrees are good, practical choices.
Compost tea? Jury's still out. Compost is a better way to go, he said, and he's a big fan. Corn gluten meal - great for weed control in the lawn. You'll get 85 percent eradication after two or three years.
One final thought. "Philadelphia is the birthplace of horticulture in the United States," he said. "Appreciate it."
