March/April 2022

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*All articles with orange titles are open to the public to read.*

Features in this Issue

Exciting Wild Indigos by Richard Hawke

If you’re seaching for tough, dependable native perennials with beautiful flowers that attract pollinators, look no further than wild indigos (Baptisia spp.).

Elvin McDonald: Communicator Extraordinaire by Kelly D. Norris

Plants, gardens, and the people who tend them are still the inspiration for this legendary garden communicator who got his start in horticulture as a toddler in the Oklahoma panhandle.

Breeding Better Herbs by Peggy Riccio

Developing improved selections of culinary herbs for consumers and gardeners is an ongoing, worldwide endeavor involving science, marketing trends, and a whole lot of patience.

Flowers for Life by Teresa J. Speight

California flower grower Natasha Graham discovered first hand the healing power of flowers and now uses them to also transform the lives of others.

In Defense of Maintenance by Marianne Willburn

Is garden maintenance something we should necessarily seek to escape? Perhaps the better approach is to view mundane tasks as steward rather than servant and value this true connection.

Highlights from our Departments

News from the AHS

The AHS’s River Farm headquarters is on the Historic Virginia Garden Week tour in April, the Centennial edition of the AHS Encyclopedia of Gardening Techniques will soon be available, and more.

Great American Gardeners Awards

Meet the recipients of the AHS’s 2022 national awards.

RAP Gardens in Focus

A look at gardens that participate in the AHS Reciprocal Admissions Program.
Find out why rhododendrons are so special at the Rhododendron Species Botanical Garden in Federal Way, Washington.

Regional Happenings

Here’s a look at garden-related events and educational opportunities happening around the country. Many of the venues participate in the AHS Reciprocal Admissions Program and offer free or discounted admission!