CCLC Garden Contest Opens

Have a garden full of natives worth bragging about? The Chesapeake Conservation Landscaping Council has just opened this year's garden contest. Maybe you should enter.

The CCLC wants to see gardens that work towards sustainability, which of course involves way more than just planting natives. Water usage, composting, and capturing run-off all figure pretty big on their list of priorities. (See their full list of the "Eight Essential Elements of
of Conservation Landscaping" )

Even if you don't enter, check out the link to the 2008 winners for some inspiration. Wow, do I love that one with the chickens.

Get Nuts for Clean Water in Arlington Cemetery

The Potomac Conservancy is collecting native hardwood seeds all over the region this fall as a part of their Growing Native project. Here is a description of one of their more interesting events.

Growing Native seed collection at Arlington National Cemetery this Saturday, October 10 from 10 am- 2 pm.

Spend the day at one of our nation’s greatest landmarks collecting, indentifying and bagging native hardwood seeds. The collection will take place on the grounds of Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, VA.

Growing Native is a project, managed by Potomac Conservancy, which emphasizes the connection between clean water and healthy forested land. Each fall, thousands of volunteers throughout the Potomac River watershed collect native hardwood seeds, which are donated to state nurseries, and used to restore streamside forests along the Potomac and its tributaries.

Pre-register by calling Deanna Tricarico, Director of Outreach, at (301) 608-1188 x204, or show up and register at the event when you get there.