THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, October 8, 1995 TAG: 9510060082
SECTION: HOME PAGE: G2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: Robert Stiffler
LENGTH: Medium: 67 lines
THE VIRGINIA BEACH Garden Club's annual Fall Flower Festival will be from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday at the Virginia Beach Pavilion. Admission is $1. There will be hundreds of pansies for sale, including Bingo, a new variety that has a stronger stem and blooms faster than others. There are lectures at 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 and 2 p.m., plus over 15 booths and special events. I'll be there from 10 a.m. to noon for the first autographing of my book, ``Robert Stiffler's Gardening in Southeastern Virginia and Northeastern North Carolina.'' MIX PANSIES, BULBS
The American Association of Nurserymen recommend planting pansies and bulbs together. You can introduce new and different colors to your garden each year. In this area, you can plant pansies and bulbs the same day or same week. As pansies bloom, pinch off any scraggly flowers to encourage more and larger blooms. BUILD A SCARECROW
Sign up Monday or anytime this week to support Children's Hospital of King's Daughters by building a scarecrow. Registration is $15 at McDonald Garden Centers in Virginia Beach and Hampton. Register before Tuesday to be eligible for ``Garden Gift Money'' giveaways. At 9 a.m. Saturday and noon Sunday, there will be seven ``make a scarecrow sessions.'' The registration fee includes all materials. All scarecrows will be on display at the garden centers through Oct. 22. Local celebrities will judge them, and there will be a ``Peoples Choice Award.'' Call 723-4124. SMELL THE ELEAGNUS
The wonderful fragrance you can smell these days is from thorny Eleagnus, a wild, almost uncontrollable plant that has excellent fragrant blooms each fall. Unless you have lots of room to let Eleagnus spread, plant Osmanthus fortunei or tea olive instead. It is a well-behaved shrub and provides the same fragrance. Or if you can find the variegated yellow and green leaved Eleagnus, it is not invasive. FOREST CONFERENCE SET
The Virginia Urban Forest Conference will hold its fifth annual conference on Oct. 25 to 27 at the Holiday Inn Waterfront in Portsmouth. Those who should attend include arborists, educators, environmental groups, horticulturists, master gardeners, wildlife biologists and urban foresters. Cost is $90 for members; $110 for non-members. Reba McClanan, former Virginia Beach councilwoman and a leader in tree conservation in this area, is the incoming president. Call (804) 482-2603. BACKLOG OF LETTERS
Answers to reader questions are running several months behind, due to number of letters and space limitations in the newspaper. Readers would be wise to include a self-addressed stamped envelope to receive a reply within six weeks. Please keep letters short. Letters with one question get quicker answers. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Park Seed Co.
Hundreds of pansies will be sold at the Fall Flower Festival.
by CNB