Avant Gardener – 042913

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Hosts Derek and Carolyn describe some of the flowering trees and shrubs blooming early at Cedaridge Farm, including pink and white ornamental cherries, yellow forsythia, red ornamental quince, rosy-pink redbuds, pink dogwoods and pink crabapples. They describe some beautiful plant partnerships using trees and shrubs that bloom at the same time and explain the difference between a bare root, balled and container plant. They also offer tips on successfully planting them. This session is followed by an interview with Steven Maurer, director of public relations for Nemours House & Garden, in Delaware. formerly the home of Alfred I. DuPont, chief executive of the DuPont Chemical Company. The house and gardens are now a popular tourist destination inspired by Versailles Palace, outside Paris, France. Steve describes the history of the property and some of its outstanding features, such as the statue of a man gilded in gold, resembling statues at the Palace of Peter the great in St. Petersburg, Russia (also inspired by Versailles Palace). Derek recalls his visit in the 1970’s when he photographed the property for Architectural Digest magazine, describing a covered walkway that still supports seven varieties of grapes, their leaves turning russet colors in fall and the grapes hanging in fragrant bunches at head height. In the email segment Derek answers a listener who wants to know where to obtain climbing strawberries, and another listener who wants to know the variety of ornamental cherry around the Basin in Washington DC so she can plant an avenue of them along her driveway.