National Arboretum

It was nearly 20 years ago that Nancy Brewster decided she wanted something a bit exotic for the yard.Although the Glyndon resident now says she didn't know much about gardening back then, she knew enough to covet two small trees very rare for the time: an Acer griseum, also called a paperbark maple, and a Stewartia pseudocamellia."

Sky Pencil Holly: Ilex crenata 'Sky Pencil' With its skyward-reaching growth habit, Sky Pencil holly lends architectural interest to home entryways or corners. Unlike many shrubs that outgrow their planting space in five to 10 years, this delightful, slender evergreen stays inbounds. It is densely branched and has lustrous dark green, tiny leaves that are soft to the touch. Reaching a mature size of only 12 to 18 inches wide by 6 to 8 feet tall, this holly is planted successfully at the National Arboretum in large containers, where it makes a formal appearance and can be underplanted with annuals and bulbs.

Yuji Yoshimura, 76, a master bonsai grower who taught and nurtured the classical Japanese art in the United States, died of cancer Dec. 24 in Medway, Mass. He was among the best-known bonsai artists in this country for more than three decades. A Yuji Yoshimura Educational Center opened in 1990 at the National Bonsai and Penjing Museum of the National Arboretum in Washington, built with donations from his students and friends.Pub Date: 1/04/98

SPLURGE OF THE WEEK The maker of the CobraHead weeder and cultivator calls its blade a "steel fingernail," capable of weeding, digging and loosening soil in tight spots. Made in Wisconsin, this versatile tool weighs 9.2 ounces. Available from cobrahead.com and at Arbor House Gifts at the U.S. National Arboretum in Washington (202-399-5958). Retail price: $24.95-$29.95 The Inspirations page rotates among four weekly themes: fashion, gardening, home decor and body. Send suggestions to harry.

SPLURGE OF THE WEEK The maker of the CobraHead weeder and cultivator calls its blade a "steel fingernail," capable of weeding, digging and loosening soil in tight spots. Made in Wisconsin, this versatile tool weighs 9.2 ounces. Available from cobrahead.com and at Arbor House Gifts at the U.S. National Arboretum in Washington (202-399-5958). Retail price: $24.95-$29.95 The Inspirations page rotates among four weekly themes: fashion, gardening, home decor and body. Send suggestions to harry.

Sky Pencil Holly: Ilex crenata 'Sky Pencil' With its skyward-reaching growth habit, Sky Pencil holly lends architectural interest to home entryways or corners. Unlike many shrubs that outgrow their planting space in five to 10 years, this delightful, slender evergreen stays inbounds. It is densely branched and has lustrous dark green, tiny leaves that are soft to the touch. Reaching a mature size of only 12 to 18 inches wide by 6 to 8 feet tall, this holly is planted successfully at the National Arboretum in large containers, where it makes a formal appearance and can be underplanted with annuals and bulbs.

Kites aloft Fly high on the beaches of Ocean City this weekend with kite makers and kite masters from around the world at the Maryland International Kite Expo. Events include flight routines choreographed to music, the Hot Tricks Shootout, Japanese Rokkaku battles and Indian fighter kites in aerial assaults. Spectators also can attend free sport-kite lessons and games offered by Go Fly a Kite and Kite Loft. Also in Ocean City this weekend, check out the 31st annual Ward World Championship Wildfowl Carving Competition, at which artists will compete for more than $100,000 in awards and prizes.

A cut aboveFlorists suggest that before you arrange your flowers you recut the stems on an angle underwater. But it's harder to do than it sounds unless you're a professional with a good sharp knife. (You're not supposed to use scissors; you might mangle the stems.)Now you can prolong the life of your bouquets with an Aqua Blum underwater stem cutter, a handy little tool that makes a clean cut -- on an angle for maximum water absorption. Available locally at Smith & Hawken in Mount Washington for $21.Last year, more than 5,000 people attended the National Arboretum's garden fair and plant auction.

TODAY BAMBOO FESTIVAL Visitors to the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore, Druid Hill Park, can learn about the modern and ancient uses of bamboo, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. today. There will also be a live plant auction presented by the Northeastern Chapter of the American Bamboo Society, as well as displays on the uses of bamboo, including furniture, umbrellas and household items. Free with zoo admission: $10-$15 (free for ages younger than 2). 410-366-LION. AZALEA BONSAI EXHIBIT The annual Satsuki Azalea Bonsai Exhibit at the U.S. National Arboretum features the miniature, late-blooming azaleas, which are covered in full-sized flowers.

Germany comes west to Ocean City this weekend for a merry Oktoberfest. Bring an appetite for schnitzel, wurst, German roasted nuts, funnel cakes, apple strudel and barrels of bier, as all will be plentiful. In addition to the German fare, Jolly Joe and the Bavarians and the Polka Jets will present their ethnic, high-energy sound, and the Alpen Rose Dancers will show off their moves. The festival also will include dance- and sing-a-longs for the lighthearted, vocally talented, or anyone who enjoys bier.

TODAY BAMBOO FESTIVAL Visitors to the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore, Druid Hill Park, can learn about the modern and ancient uses of bamboo, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. today. There will also be a live plant auction presented by the Northeastern Chapter of the American Bamboo Society, as well as displays on the uses of bamboo, including furniture, umbrellas and household items. Free with zoo admission: $10-$15 (free for ages younger than 2). 410-366-LION. AZALEA BONSAI EXHIBIT The annual Satsuki Azalea Bonsai Exhibit at the U.S. National Arboretum features the miniature, late-blooming azaleas, which are covered in full-sized flowers.

Germany comes west to Ocean City this weekend for a merry Oktoberfest. Bring an appetite for schnitzel, wurst, German roasted nuts, funnel cakes, apple strudel and barrels of bier, as all will be plentiful. In addition to the German fare, Jolly Joe and the Bavarians and the Polka Jets will present their ethnic, high-energy sound, and the Alpen Rose Dancers will show off their moves. The festival also will include dance- and sing-a-longs for the lighthearted, vocally talented, or anyone who enjoys bier.

Kites aloft Fly high on the beaches of Ocean City this weekend with kite makers and kite masters from around the world at the Maryland International Kite Expo. Events include flight routines choreographed to music, the Hot Tricks Shootout, Japanese Rokkaku battles and Indian fighter kites in aerial assaults. Spectators also can attend free sport-kite lessons and games offered by Go Fly a Kite and Kite Loft. Also in Ocean City this weekend, check out the 31st annual Ward World Championship Wildfowl Carving Competition, at which artists will compete for more than $100,000 in awards and prizes.

THIS IS the optimal season to plant, to get a good root system established before winter. Astute observers may notice a certain homogeneity of vegetation in our area -- a creeping sameness in our gardens. That's not too surprising. We frequently opt for mums, day lilies, peonies, wild roses and other plants that are easy to grow and require little maintenance. There may be a better way to get spectacular results in our gardens, help the environment and still have time to enjoy the outdoors -- choosing native plants.

Yuji Yoshimura, 76, a master bonsai grower who taught and nurtured the classical Japanese art in the United States, died of cancer Dec. 24 in Medway, Mass. He was among the best-known bonsai artists in this country for more than three decades. A Yuji Yoshimura Educational Center opened in 1990 at the National Bonsai and Penjing Museum of the National Arboretum in Washington, built with donations from his students and friends.Pub Date: 1/04/98

A cut aboveFlorists suggest that before you arrange your flowers you recut the stems on an angle underwater. But it's harder to do than it sounds unless you're a professional with a good sharp knife. (You're not supposed to use scissors; you might mangle the stems.)Now you can prolong the life of your bouquets with an Aqua Blum underwater stem cutter, a handy little tool that makes a clean cut -- on an angle for maximum water absorption. Available locally at Smith & Hawken in Mount Washington for $21.Last year, more than 5,000 people attended the National Arboretum's garden fair and plant auction.

Driving along Maryland's interstates in the spring, there is no sight as pleasant as watching fields of golden dandelions flash by.But finding one out by the patio means weed whacking time."

WASHINGTON -- Sprawling across the grounds of the National Arboretum are a swamp cedar that thrives in snowy winter, a wort that turns into soap, an arbor with edible buds, an herb thought to treat venereal disease and a ginkgo species as old as dinosaurs.Spring flowers? Those are for amateurs. The real action is in the greenery.The arboretum, a 444-acre plant compound in Northeast Washington, reveals the landscape that usually is ignored when the blossoms pop. For decades -- this month marked its 70th anniversary -- the arboretum has given star status to trees and glamour to the undergrowth.

WASHINGTON -- Sprawling across the grounds of the National Arboretum are a swamp cedar that thrives in snowy winter, a wort that turns into soap, an arbor with edible buds, an herb thought to treat venereal disease and a ginkgo species as old as dinosaurs.Spring flowers? Those are for amateurs. The real action is in the greenery.The arboretum, a 444-acre plant compound in Northeast Washington, reveals the landscape that usually is ignored when the blossoms pop. For decades -- this month marked its 70th anniversary -- the arboretum has given star status to trees and glamour to the undergrowth.

It was nearly 20 years ago that Nancy Brewster decided she wanted something a bit exotic for the yard.Although the Glyndon resident now says she didn't know much about gardening back then, she knew enough to covet two small trees very rare for the time: an Acer griseum, also called a paperbark maple, and a Stewartia pseudocamellia."