Overview:
John Lonsdale will discuss a wide variety of the many unusual and beautiful woodland plants which he grows in his USDA zone 6b garden in Exton, PA. The presentation will highlight genera such as Trillium, Galanthus, Cyclamen, Corydalis, Podophyllum, Hepatica, Erythronium, Cypripedium, Phlox, Epimedium and Arisaema, many of which are native to the eastern USA. These plants are suitable for a range of habitats in the garden, from dry shade to vernally moist sunlit woodland edges. Although often found in deep shade in the woods, many flourish and flower much better when given more sunny locations and plentiful moisture. Several trees and shrubs will also be included, particularly native deciduous azaleas.
John is particularly interested in pushing the cultivation limits of these plants, and his talk will emphasize methods for their successful growth and propagation, especially from seed. John has constructed two bog gardens to allow cultivation of some of the woodland plants which typically struggle in the garden, and examples of these will be discussed. In addition to the presentation, John will bring several specimen potted plants, to further illustrate their beauty and versatility, and cultivation techniques. A selection of potted bulbs will be available for purchase in addition to complimentary light refreshments.
About the Instructor:
John Lonsdale is the owner of Edgewood Gardens, a rare plant nursery and garden in Exton, PA. Born in England, John has grown a wide variety of alpine and woodland plants and bulbs for more than 40 years and is a recipient of the Alpine Garden Society Gold Merit Medal. He has traveled extensively to study plants in habitat, especially Trillium in the SE USA. John regularly contributes articles to the publications of a number of horticultural societies, lectures widely and maintains a website (www.edgewoodgardens.net) featuring over 20,000 images of plants growing in his Exton, PA garden. He contributed a chapter discussing Cyclamen in North America to the book, “Genus Cyclamen in Science, Cultivation, Art and Culture”, published by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. John received his Ph.D. from the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne in 1985 and spent more than 35 years working in biomedical research.