GREEN NEWS & VIEWS
WASHINGTON GARDENER
My Favorite Ferns
The World is Our Body... ...continued from page 69
teachers, our rigid ideas about hierarchy and privilege shift. We begin to find our true place in the world, and recognize our hunger for what it is — addictive, irrational, and reactive. We begin to know ourselves fully and part of a whole, and see all beings fully and whole. That is the key to awakening from the nightmare of the Anthropocene. We must learn from the teachers around us if we hope to live — that the small and the great are together in a season of knowing, of stories passed from root to root, branch across branch, in the breath of sun- light on green, in the shimmer of rain and the holding, the connection that makes home, that feeds everyone equally without injury. Each leaf and wing and fin are our cousins if we let them in, holding you large and lean and lithe and whole. If we come home to the world, we can lead changes that will heal the planet. It starts by healing our human nation, as the prayer says, so we can see all the others as fam- ily, ourselves equal among equals. Then it is easy to step up and pro- tect, to be generous of spirit, thought, and action. As authors of the Anthropocene, it is up to us to break through from smallness to greatness, to begin the healing of ourselves and the world, step by step making a home here for all creatures. Carol Burbank is a writer, educator, and coach, founder of Story - weaving, LLC, offering creative coaching, writing mentoring, and workshops in Maryland. She writes a regular column on leadership and spirituality for Science of Mind Magazine and teaches at Pacifica Graduate Institute. She can be reached at cburbank@storyweaving. com or her website at www.storyweaving.com.
but are chartreuse-green in color. They are also known as Fiddlehead Fern and Shuttlecock Fern. They are native to Eastern North America, Europe, and Asia; they are hardy to zones 2 to 8 . The mature size is 3 to 5 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet wide. Ostrich Ferns spread by rhizomes, and when they are happy can quickly colonize an area. They make great groundcovers for damp, shady portions of the garden and are great for erosion control on a slope. They can also be grown in containers. During the winter, the large sterile fronds die back to the ground and new fiddleheads will unfurl in the spring. The plant’s spore-bear - ing stalks, called fertile fronds, are also attractive and remain standing through the winter. Ferns do not have flowers so they do not attract pollinators. They are deer-proof and have few pests. Like other ferns, these are low-care, thriving best in consistently moist, well-draining, acidic soils with lightly dappled to full shade. To propagate them, divide the crowns in the spring. Kathy Jentz is editor/publisher of
BY KATHY JENTZ
The result is a tyranny of human blindness, limiting our ability to be present, to stand together in true diversity with “all our relations.” The greater the differences we perceive, the more we dismiss the humanity of our fellows. Tyrants exploit this blindness and whip it up into fear and hatred for those who are “different,” othering anything that might get in the way of a sense of family. The edges of our identities, in hu- man terms, become harder and harder, more and more embedded in a network of privilege and shame and oppression. And the resources we all need are clustered to serve those with the most power and the most money. The servitude we impose on nature mirrors the servitude we impose and accept in our human culture. Embracing all our relations, sup- porting “co-existing, co-dependent, co-creating our destiny, one not more important than the other,” requires shifting our consciousness, not just changing our patterns of consumption. Oppression is never one big boot — it is compliance and co-cre- ation. The men and women of the Anthropocene have made ourselves small by subjugating and being subjugated, creating a lonely hunger that can never be satisfied. Our greatest human task is to soften and expand the edges of our tight, limiting identities. This is a spiritual, social, political and ecological process that leads to connection, repa- rations and healing. Acknowledge “All Our Relations” In the end, it is unnatural to align with oppression when we acknowl- edge the truth of “all our relations.” When we learn from non-human
Hardy ferns, those ferns that are perennial to the Mid-Atlantic United States, come in a variety of green hues — from the bright, yel- low-green of Ostrich Fern to the dark blue-green of the Christmas Fern. Some ferns have dark stems, like the Maidenhair Fern, and oth - ers have rusty-brown parts, like the Tassel Fern or Cinnamon Fern. The Japanese Painted Fern practically glows with its silvery highlights. Ferns can have many garden uses, from edging plants to ground- covers and even featured in containers. They are deer-proof and have few pests. They thrive in consistently moist, well-draining soils with lightly dappled to full shade. Most ferns also appreciate a top-dressing of composted leaves. Colonies of fern can spread, and clumps expand over time. They are fairly easy to dig up and divide in spring once the new growth has emerged. Speaking of the new growth… is there anything cuter than the newly emerging fiddleheads in early springtime? Ferns are low-care. Some may die-back entirely in the winter time in our region, while others hold on to their fronds during the cold months. By late winter, you will want to cut them back though as they will look a bit ratty and tattered. From the Lady Fern to the Royal Fern, there is sure to be one that works well in your garden. Once you start collecting ferns, you may find it hard to stop. Here are spotlights on two of my favorite ferns:
Washington Gardener magazine. She is also the host of the popular Gar- denDC Podcast. All photos by Kathy. Washington Gardener magazine is the gardening publication published specifically for the local metro area — zones 6-7 — Washington DC and its suburbs. The magazine is written entirely by local area gardeners. They have real-world knowledge and practical advice. They share their thoughts on what to plant in deep shade, how to cover bare spots, which annuals work best throughout the humid DC summers, and much more. The magazine is published month- ly online and includes timely infor- mation such as a local garden events calendar and gardening to-do list for that month. A year-long digital sub - scription is $20.00. To subscribe to the magazine: Send a check/money order for $20.00 payable to “Wash - ington Gardener” magazine to: Washington Gardener, 826 Philadel - phia Ave., Silver Spring, MD 20910 OR to pay via Paypal/credit card click on the “subscribe” link at www. WashingtonGardener.com. Washing- ton Gardener magazine subscriptions make great gifts for gardeners and new homeowners.
Crystal Healing and Holographic Healing Services
Japanese Painted Ferns Japanese Painted Ferns ( Athyrium niponicum ) are perennial plants that highlight shady spots in the garden. They are native to eastern Asia and are hardy to zones 3 to 8. The mature size is about 18 inches tall and wide. The silvery highlights are the hallmark characteristic of this beau- tiful fern, but many cultivars also have red mid-ribs, such as the award-winning cultivar ‘Pictum’. The cultivar ‘Silver Falls’ received the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit. Other popu - lar cultivars include ‘Ghost’ and ‘Burgundy Lace’. Japanese Painted Ferns make great garden accents and look good featured in containers. Ferns do not have flowers so they do not attract pollinators, but they do assist wildlife by providing shelter and hiding spots. They are deer-proof and have few pests. They thrive in consistently moist, well-draining, acidic soils with lightly dappled to full shade. Japanese Painted Ferns also appreciate a top-dressing of composted leaves. These ferns are low-care. By late winter, you will want to cut them back though as they will look a bit ratty and tattered. Divide Japanese Painted Ferns in early spring just as new fiddleheads emerge, or in the early fall. Do so every few years to maintain the plant’s vigor. Ostrich Ferns Ostrich Ferns ( Onoclea struthiopteris formerly Matteuccia struth- iopteris ) are perennial plants that thrive in the moist, shady spots of the garden. The fern fronds resemble ostrich feathers in their shape,
An Innovative Hybrid Publishing Team Our Competitive Package Includes: Editing Design Personalized Marketing Plan Storyweaving Press
Holographic Healing clears those pesky and persistent beliefs that just won’t go away. Crystal Healing connects us to the Spirit Energy that gives life to our Spiritual Purpose. Scan the QR Code to find out more!
A Recipe for Vibrant Living by Kenny W. Robinson, M.A. ✦ Discover how raw foods, mindful movement, and simple lifestyle shifts can unlock asting health and vitality. This transformative guide blends powerful pant-based recipes with holistic wellness tools—including yoga, strength training, and meditation—to help you strip away what no longer serves you and thrive in your natural state.
Beautiful Books Nurtured by Publishing Professionals
✔ Raw & Pant-Based Recipes ✔ Wellness & Mindfulness Tips ✔ Strength and Yoga Guidance ✔ Practical Tools for Daily Vitality Avai able now on Amazon or save 15% at www.kennysvegetariankitchen.com
Alison Cullinane
HMCA Certified Crystal Practitioner Holy Fire III/Karuna Reiki Master acullinane@rosecrystalhlgccg.com RoseCrystalHlgCCG.com
cburbank@storyweaving.com www.storyweaving.com/storyweavingpress
70—PATHWAYS—Fall 26
PATHWAYS—Fall 26—71
Made with FlippingBook flipbook maker