festival

As the recipient of the Turning America from Eco-weak to Eco-chic Award sponsored by Hines Horticulture, Project Evergreen and Today’s Garden Center magazine, I want to invite you to the DC Green Festival to hear my speech on the topic of ‘sustainable landscapes’. To peak attendee interest, I implemented a 5-step sustainable landscape program. Starting the week of September 20th each week I posted eco tips/strategies on my www.TheWrightScoop.com blog, twitter ID WrightScoop and facebook group The Wright Scoop. Step-1 challenged all to accept personal accountability, http://blog.thewrightscoop.com/2010/09/19/step1--sustainable-landscapes-... . Step-2 provided tips/strategies for ‘growing green market share’, http://blog.thewrightscoop.com/2010/09/26/sustainable-landscapes-step2-g... . Step-3 challenged communities to create eco-cities, http://blog.thewrightscoop.com/2010/10/03/sustainable-landscapes-step3-e... Step-4 discussed a definition for the term ‘sustainability’, http://blog.thewrightscoop.com/2010/10/11/sustainable-landscapes-step4-s... . And, my final step invites all to the DC Green Festival Saturday, October 23, from 12:30 to 1:15pm held at the Organic Gardening and Urban Farming Pavilion located in the DC Convention Center to hear my speech Gardening Green: the sustainable landscape. A signing of my book From Eco-weak to Eco-chic: landscape green is host by Washington Gardener magazine and held at their exhibit booth. Join me in an effort to urge all to move from eco-weak to eco-chic, green America’s landscape. For details, see Green Festivals http://www.greenfestivals.org/index.php?option=com_mtree2&task=viewlink&... . Gardening Green: the sustainable landscape Whether experienced or novice, homeowner or renter all are challenged to create landscapes from a sustainable point of view, seeking to reduce their carbon footprint as well as create pesticide free edible landscapes. For any style garden, should not simply illustrate traditional design but be the result of the right plant, installed in the right place at the right (optimal) planting season - creating a legacy of green, healthier urban/suburban communities.” Still, I advise consumers to take the concept of sustainability a step further, not simply a use of plants that works-well in their region but those that contribute to regional economic sustainability: developed, grown and distributed within their community. Turning America from Eco-weak to Eco-chic – Historically, as I advocate in my book From Eco-weak to Eco-chic: landscape green, http://www.lulu.com/content/paperback-book/from-eco-weak-to-eco-chic-lan... - earth-friendly is defined in terms of reduce, reuse and recycle. Eco-chic takes earth-friendly a step further. It is a reflection of how we feel about the environment, not just as a lifestyle choice but a decorating style as well. During my speech – Gardening Green, the sustainable landscape, I share strategies that respect an existing vista, preserving and enhancing its health. For plants should not simply be selected to provide contrast of structure, texture or color, but make environmental contributions, too. Festival Details – A Green Festival celebrates what is working in communities, for people, businesses and the environment. Here, green means safe, healthy communities and strong, local economies. Green is the symbol of hope, social and economic justice, as well as creating ecological balance. I am only one of many visionary speakers and more than 300 green businesses that join forces to provide how-to workshops, green films, yoga and movement classes, green careers sessions, organic beer and wine, delicious organic cuisine and live music. Event details are available at web site www.greenfestivals.org , select Washington Festival 2010 or call 1-800-58-GREEN. As a participant, I challenge Festival attendees to green their landscapes eco-chic style - the right plant, installed in the right place at the right (optimal) planting season - creating a legacy of green and a healthier community. Link to web site www.TheWrightScoop.com for details of my eco activities or contact Sylvia@TheWrightScoop.com .

In an article “Market Share, Create Industry Presence,” an example of an event, Virginia Green Industry Council’s VA GoGreen Garden Festival (VGGF), was used to illustrate a branded presence that occurred through communicating an appropriate image sustained by viable products or services. Nevertheless, due to recent activities, my perception of the industry’s progress as a whole is somewhat undermined.

To read more and post comment, link to http://www.todaysgardencenter.com/magazine/?storyid=2549 Together, let's 'greening strategies' and ensure consumer awareness!

Are you ‘greening’ or contributing to the decline of safe lawns. Paul Turkey, HGTV Co-Host & Executive Producer, publisher of People, Places & Plants magazine and author of The Organic Lawn Care Manual, challenges all to rethink turf/lawn activities. Link to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTcvO-o8NTA and view Paul’s educational film accepted to the World Film Festival of Montreal for its World Premiere.

Specific to central VA, on Sept 12th VA Tech Turf Specialist Mike Goatley provides turf/lawn care demos during the VA GoGreen Garden Festival and More. For details, see http://www.projectgreenblog.com/2009/06/va-for-victory.html. Attend an ‘admission free’ event designed to help you acquire safe lawn/turf practices as well as an array of other living green/green living tips and strategies - http://www.virginiagardening.com/virginiagardenfestival09.htm.

Together, let’s adopt eco-friendly turf/lawn activities, ensure the ‘green’ of America’s Lawn. What are you doing to ensure the 'green' of your lawn?

Do you question the future of an American tradition, the sprawling lawn? While some advocate its demise, others agree turf matters as it serves as one of Mother Nature’s preeminent filtering systems when managed appropriately. A few years ago, there was a campaign slogan, 'just say no', related to turf/lawn nutrient management but reality is, if this strategy was implemented, only the form of pollution run-off changes. So, let's explore viable alternatives.

VA Tech’s Mike Goatley, Associate Professor and Turfgrass Specialist, joining the Virginia Green Industry Council (VGIC) has issued statewide a challenge to Virginians to GoGreen, become environmental stewards in turf management practices. During the 2009 Virginia GoGreen, garden festival and more, Goatley and his colleagues host an all-day lawn clinic. In support of their effort the Turf Store, www.theturfstoreusa.com, and the Smart Lawns Program sponsored by Henrico County Extension are on site and will assist with advising you how to safely manage lawns while protecting Virginia’s water resources.

Goatley provides a host of current and archived tips in best management practices for homeowners and their lawns through the “Turf and Garden Tips” website, http://www.weblogs.cals.vt.edu/lawn_garden/. One of the most important steps towards achieving a healthy lawn or landscape is to conduct a soil test, an activity recommended at least every 3-4 years for lawns in Virginia.

Improving soil almost certainly improves your lawn and landscape. For, many lawns struggle from the onset as turf and ornamentals at new construction sites are planted in what essentially is subsoil. The best sod in the world can only temporarily mask underlying soil problems!

In preparation for the turf clinic, contact your regional County Extension office and acquire for example a soil test similar to Virginia's land grant university VA Tech. Complete the test, forward the soil sample for analysis and then, follow the nutrient recommendations. During the Festival's clinic, on site experts can help you interpret the results as well as discuss how one can slowly but surely amend a poor soil into a desirable growing environment for plants through proper fertilization, cultivation, and compost applications

A second equally important step is to select a turf that works well for your environment. For a list of the best adapted cultivars for the states of VA and MD, review the current Virginia/Maryland Turfgrass Recommended Variety lists posted at http://www.ext.vt.edu/pubs/np/2805-1003.pdf . Consider existing lawn quality in relationship to current water, fertilizer, and pesticides uses and then, question if both the lawn and the environment would benefit by selecting a better adapted grass that requires fewer inputs.

Traditionally, Virginians prefer cool season grasses and early fall is a great time to establish and/or renovate these lawns. Detailed demonstrations on how to calibrate spreaders, how to calculate appropriate amounts of nutrients and lime, and how to deliver them accurately and efficiently will be available at 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. during the Festival. Also, experts demonstrate how to properly establish seed and sod.

Mismanaged lawns can negate all the great attributes of a healthy turf: water filtration and groundwater recharge, erosion control, temperature and glare moderation, and the use of turf for recreation and relaxation. The Festival’s hands-on clinic provides you plenty of “best management practices” to deliver a great looking, environmentally friendly lawn.

As hostess for the Festival's special events, I invite you to attend an ‘admission free’ event, the Virginia GoGreen, garden festival and more; and discuss with Goatley safe methods for creating and maintaining a healthy lawn space. Educate yourself and then, go green - become an environmental steward in turf management practices!

Virginia GoGreen Garden Festival (and more …) held (rain or shine) September 12, 2009 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Garner Pavilion (located behind the Science Museum), 2500 West Broad Street, in Richmond Virginia. For directions, see web sitewww.smv.org and event details see www.virginiagardening.com. Festival admission and parking is free.