July/August 2009 - Volume 88, Number 4

The following is a table of contents of the articles that appear in the July/August 2009 issue of The American Gardener.  Links have been established to each article.  However, many articles are only accessible to American Horticultural Society (AHS) members . When you click on these links, a challenge will appear for a username (ahs) and password that AHS members can use to view these articles. Non-members are encouraged to join AHS to be able to enjoy each of these articles and the many other benefits of AHS membership.

ASTERISKS (*) INDICATE PAGES VIEWABLE BY NON-MEMBERS.
Non-members can view the EXCERPT from the
Sizzling Summer Foliage Plants article in the features department.

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Features

• Hardy Hibiscuses for American Gardens by Barbara Perry Lawton
  The tropical appearance of these bold and beautiful bloomers belies their hardy temperament.
  
  Web special: Hardy Hibiscus Cultivars at a Glance*
   
• Designing Water-Thrifty Gardens by Scott Calhoun
  No matter where you live, reduce your garden’s watering needs with Southwestern-inspired design strategies.
  
  Web special: American Native Plants Suitable For Rain Gardens*
   
• Sizzling Summer Foliage Plants by Allan M. Armitage*
  The author’s picks for annuals and tender perennials that flaunt flamboyant foliage all summer long.
  
  Web special: More Foliage Plants to Consider*
   
• Curbside Gardens by Lisa Albert
  Turn the barren strip of land between your sidewalk and the curb into a welcoming and beautiful space.

• Notes from River Farm*
  Insights and updates about American horticulture and the AHS from Board of Directors Chair Susie Usrey and Executive Director Tom Underwood.
   
• Members’ Forum*
  Reader letters to the editor.
   
• News from AHS*
  Updates on American Horticultural Society programs and events. In this issue: AHS celebrates the 2009 Great American Gardeners Award winners and Book Award winners at River Farm, upcoming webinars in July and September, America In Bloom Symposium taking place in Hershey, Pennsylvania, Garden Writers hold regional meeting at River Farm.
   
• AHS Partners in Profile*
  A look at AHS’s Corporate Partners. This issue: Furbish Company.
   
• One on One With…
  Interviews with today’s leaders and trendsetters in gardening and horticulture. This issue: Pearl Fryar, topiary artist.
   
• Green Garage*
  A series focusing on the AHS’s latest initiative to promote environmentally responsible gardening tools, supplies, and techniques. In this issue: Composting: making treasure from trash.
   
• Homegrown Harvest
  A new department highlighting vegetables, herbs, and other plants that can be grown for fresh food in the home garden. In this issue: Hardy kiwis.
   
• Gardener’s Notebook*
  Short, newsworthy articles on horticultural topics. This issue: Butterflies show preference for different zinnia cultivars, pesticides may increase risk of Parkinson’s disease, study quantifies benefits of shade trees planted around homes, the People’s Garden developed at USDA headquarters in D.C., wildfire damages Santa Barbara Botanic Garden. Gardener’s Notebook Special: American Community Gardening Association celebrates 30th anniversary.

• Book Reviews*
  Featured: A Rose by Any Name, 50 High-Impact, Low-Maintenance Garden Plants, and When Perennials Bloom. Special focus: Regional gardening books.
   
• Regional Happenings*
  Listings of lectures, flower shows, and other gardening events across the country. Featured: Dinosaurs at Denver Botanic Gardens, Washington Park Arboretum Celebrates 75 Years, and New West Coast Show Features Garden Design Innovation and Imagination.
  
  Web special: U.S. National Arboretum’s “Living Catalog” Summer Exhibit*
   
• Hardiness and Heat Zones and Pronunciations*
  A guide to USDA Plant Hardiness and AHS Plant Heat Zones for most of the cultivated plants listed in each issue - and a user-friendly guide to pronouncing their botanical names.
   
• Plant in the Spotlight
  A closer look at selected plants. This issue: Japanese forest grass (Hakonechloa macra ‘Aureola’).
   

You can gain access to the online version of this issue of The American Gardener AND get a printed copy of each bimonthly issue mailed to your home by becoming an American Horticultural Society (AHS) member today. Click here to learn about the many other benefits of AHS membership - the annual Free Seed Exchange, toll-free gardener's hotline, free and discounted admission to flower shows and botanical gardens, and much more--and for a membership application. To purchase a single copy of the magazine, click here.

Items marked with an asterisk (*) can be viewed
by non-members without a username and password.

Letters to the editor should be emailed to: editor@ahs.org or mailed to:
Editor, AHS,
7931 East Boulevard Drive,
Alexandria VA 22308.