by Marlene Berlin The last few times I have walked up the steep slope in Rock Creek Park on a trail from Gates Road, I have come across this odd ephemeral flowering white plant called Monotropa uniflora. Monotropa is a Greek word that means “one turn,” and in the case of this plant, it refers […]
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Backyard Nature: A golden prize for bumblebees and butterflies
by Marlene Berlin Bees, flies, and an occasional butterfly come to partake of my goldenrod in the backyard. I planted it at the suggestion of the late Marge Rachlin, my friend, my neighbor, and my garden consultant. I turned to her for advice when my backyard, shaded since we moved here in 1989, had lots […]
Backyard Nature: What to look for when venturing into parks and backyards in April
by Marjorie Rachlin April is a month of changes. Plants and animals begin to wake up. We become optimistic. And as we move into late spring and the temperature swings level out, we see and hear more as more plants burst forth with pollen and seeds, insects pollinate and spread seeds, and animals mate and […]
Backyard Nature: In the fall, strange plants called “beech drops” drop in
by Marlene Berlin In the fall, as acorns rain down on our heads and mushrooms abound, another rather strange plant pops up: the beech drop. This year, they are ubiquitous. Beech drops aren’t splashy and colorful so they tend to blend into the background, but once you know what to look for you’ll see them […]
Backyard Nature: The wild and wonderful world of mushrooms
by Marjorie Rachlin This is a good time of the year for mushrooms – and for people who love to look for them. Mushrooms come in an astonishing variety, and they are everywhere. The photo above shows a clump in a Forest Hills lawn, and you will find them in your garden, in tree beds […]
Backyard Nature: Mother Nature brightens the days
Words by Marjorie Rachlin Photos by Marjorie Rachlin, Eric Kravitz and Kathy Kravitz A lot of homebound people have turned to Mother Nature during this strange spring. The number of backyard birdwatchers has swelled. The Audubon Society reports an uptick in membership. Friends walking their neighborhood have looked up and called to tell me what […]
Backyard Nature: Enjoy the early spring wildflowers before they disappear
by Marjorie Rachlin I love early spring. I savor the filmy delicate look of the trees as they begin to leaf out. I watch for the many different shades of green on our streets. This year I made a resolution not to miss a bit of it. Covid-19 has given me the time to walk […]
Backyard Nature: The beauty of trees in winter
by Marjorie Rachlin Winter is a great time to take a good look at our trees. With no leaves it’s easy see their “bones” – shapes, structure, bark, seedpods. Here are seven to look for. Beech When I look out of my library window, I see the gray trunk of this beech, and below, the […]
Backyard Nature: Weed or wildflower?
by Marjorie Rachlin Wildflower or weed? It can be in the eye of the beholder. Take a look at some of the interesting summer wildflowers you can see on roadsides and meadows nearby. Rock Creek Park and the Broad Branch stream restoration are good places to start. Swamp milkweed In early August this lovely native […]
Opinion: We risk losing the forest in Forest Hills
by Kate Yonkers Last summer and early fall gave us a taste of the heavy, enduring rain which will become more commonplace as the climate warms. We have lost many large trees in the neighborhood, over 30 alone in 2018 according to the DC Urban Forestry division. Oversaturation and high winds are surely to blame, […]