MENU

Sections

More

February 6, 2026

Centreville Spy

Nonpartisan and Education-based News for Centreville

Archives Food and Garden Notes

Adkins Arboretum Mystery Monday: Guess the Photo

by Leave a Comment

Happy Mystery Monday! Can you guess what is pictured below?

 

The answer to last week’s mystery is late flowering thoroughwort, Eupatorium serotinum, pictured below:

 

Late flowering thoroughwort, also called tall boneset and late flowering boneset, is a native herbaceous perennial that flowers from August-October.

Bees, wasps, and butterflies find this plant irresistible! Thoroughwort offers both pollen and nectar late in the season. This timing coincides with the migration of monarch butterflies, providing important fuel for their long flights.

This showy perennial wildflower grows 4-5 feet tall, the perfect height for viewing the varied insect life it attracts. The white flower clusters have a pleasant fragrance. Thoroughwort has a time-release approach to flowering. As some clusters of flowers are fading, new ones are opening.

A couple benefits to thoroughwort are that the leaves are too bitter for most browsing mammals, and this plant requires no maintenance.

Mystery Monday is sponsored by the Spy Newspapers and Adkins Arboretum.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Adkins Arboretum Announces Hiring Of Abby Lorenz As Director Of Public Engagement

by Leave a Comment

Adkins Arboretum announces that Abby Lorenz of Millington was recently hired as its first director of public engagement. More than ten years of experience in horticulture, strategic development, communications and other fields make Lorenz a valuable asset to the Adkins team.

“Having grown up on the Eastern Shore, I’ve developed a lifelong love for this region’s natural beauty and the people who live here,” said Lorenz. “Combining my love for this area with my experience in public gardens and community engagement feels like coming full circle. I’m excited to contribute to the incredible work being done at Adkins.”

Before joining the Arboretum staff, Lorenz completed a 13-month Longwood Fellows Program at Longwood Gardens, a leader-development program that focuses on public horticulture. During the program, she collaborated with peer leaders to produce a comprehensive toolkit and presentation focusing on mission impact. She has additionally served as the Plant Records Manager for Mount Cuba Center in Hockessin, Del., the Manager of Plant Records and Horticulture Programs at Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago and as a landscape designer for Unity Landscape Design/Build. She holds a B.S. in Horticulture from Virginia Tech and a BFA in ceramics from the Chicago School of the Art Institute.

Throughout her career, she has been driven by a desire to create spaces where people can find a sense of belonging and connection. She believes that public gardens are not just places to visit but spaces where people can find a sense of community, healing and inspiration.

“Abby brings a broad and unique perspective to the Arboretum team with education, skills  and experience in horticulture, the arts and building community,” said Adkins Executive Director Ginna Tiernan. “ We are thrilled to have her join us as we seek to reach broad audiences, promote native plants and foster love and appreciation of the natural world. Abby has joined us at an exciting and critical time as we embark on a new Master Plan—the last one was completed in 1999—and our 2025–2030 Strategic Plan. She will play a vital role in developing both of these important documents.”

The director of public engagement designs, facilitates and supports a broad range of programs, events and guest engagement to provide exceptional experiences in nature and promote native plants.

The mission of Adkins Arboretum, a 400-acres native garden and preserve at the headwaters of Tuckahoe Creek in Caroline County, is to provide exceptional experiences in nature. For more information, visit adkinsarboretum.org or call 410-634-2847.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Adkins Arboretum Mystery Monday: Guess the Photo

by Leave a Comment

Happy Mystery Monday! Can you guess what is pictured below?

 

The answer to last week’s mystery is cauliflower fungi, Sparassis spathulata, pictured  below.

 

Cauliflower fungi is a widespread species that appears all across North America, but it is rather uncommon, growing few and far between. Found mainly at the bases of oak, beech, and pine trees, cauliflower fungi looks like a mass of ruffles or a pile of cooked lasagna noodles.

Measuring 4-10″ across, cauliflower fungi is flexible (and edible!) when young, becoming tough with age. It can be found growing singly, between July and October.

Cauliflower fungi are parasitic and saprobic, meaning they attack, decay, and feed off dead and dying organic material.

Mystery Monday is sponsored by the Spy Newspapers and Adkins Arboretum.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Serene Green to Headline Adkins Arboretum Beer Garden Sept. 28

by Leave a Comment

There’s something magical about live music in nature! Local beer, food trucks and music by nationally touring act Serene Green are all on tap when Adkins Arboretum hosts its annual Beer Garden on Sat., Sept. 28.

Serene Green is a traditional bluegrass band from Northeastern Pennsylvania featuring Quentin Fisher, Michael Johnson, Steve Leonard, Katelynn Casper and Sam Zolla. They desire to honor the traditional side of bluegrass demonstrated by the pioneers of the genre while also showcasing its original compositions and uniqueness. Since the band’s inception in 2017, Serene Green has played in three countries and in over twenty of the United States, released three studio albums and performed at countless festival and venues alongside many nationally and internationally touring acts, including the Del McCoury Band, The Seldom Scene, The Infamous Stringdusters, Rhonda Vincent & The Rage, David Bromberg and Danny Paisley & The Southern Grass, among many others.

The event is Adkins Arboretum’s annual fall fundraiser. It is family friendly and will include hula hoops, bubbles and the opportunity to walk the Arboretum trails. Food and drink will be available for purchase, with Bull & Goat Brewery, Cult Classic Brewing Company and Ten Eyck Brewing Company pulling premium craft beer and Blue Money Street Tacos, the Red Shef and Beltway Bistro serving food.

In commemoration of the Arboretum’s dedication to hosting live music outdoors, a beautiful SE Custom 24 guitar generously donated by PRS Guitars is up for auction, which closes at the event. The winner will be announced that day. For more information, visit adkinsarboretum.org.

The Beer Garden runs from 2 to 4 p.m., with food and beer service beginning at 1 p.m. Seating is limited; bringing chairs or a blanket is highly advised. Only 400 admissions will be sold, so early registration is strongly recommended. Admission is $20 for Arboretum members, $25 for non-members and free for ages 18 and under. The fee increases by $5 on the day of the event. The rain date is Sat., Oct. 6. Register online at adkinsarboretum.org or call 410-634-2847, ext. 100.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Adkins Arboretum Mystery Monday: Guess the Photo!

by Leave a Comment

Can you guess what is pictured in photo below?

 

The answer to last week’s mystery is eastern amberwing, Perithemis tenera, pictured below:

 

The eastern amberwing is a small species of dragonfly that only reaches about 1 inch in length. It is the second smallest dragonfly in the United States. Males have clear amber-colored wings, while females have blotch-patterned wings.

Amberwing larvae are aquatic. They have six legs and small wing buds. Gills are located inside the rectum. They breathe by drawing water in and out of their hind end. By forcefully expelling this water, the larvae can move quickly in a form of jet.

Amberwings have the most intricate courtship of any dragonfly. After the male selects several possible egg laying sites, he finds a female and leads her back to his potential nursery. To attract her, he sways back and forth, and hovers with his abdomen raised. Mating only occurs if the females approve – making this one of the few dragonflies where females choose the males.

In late summer, males can be seen along the shores of lakes, ponds, marshes, and slow sections of rivers, bays, and canals. Females are often found in meadows among summer wildflowers.

Mystery Monday is sponsored by the Spy Newspapers and Adkins Arboretum.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Mary-Land Scapes, Photography and Watercolor by Beth Horstman and Joan Machinchick, on view through October at Adkins Arboretum

by Leave a Comment

“bloomingdale 2019” by Beth Horstman is among the works in Mary-Land Scapes, Horstman’s show with Joan Machinchick on view through Oct. 26 at Adkins Arboretum.

Whether with a simple cornstalk or a vast iconic shoreline, artists Beth Horstman and Joan Machinchick evoke the beauty, wildness and peace—indeed the complexity—of Maryland’s environmental riches. Their exhibit, Mary-Land Scapes, runs through Oct. 26 at Adkins Arboretum, with a reception to meet the artists on Sat., Sept. 14, from 2 to 4 p.m.

Through the mediums of watercolor and photography, both artists explore the shared experience of natural space within our common surroundings. To immerse oneself in this exhibit is to connect with the deep nourishment that nature offers to all of us as we move through our daily lives.

Beth Horstman reflects, “The photographs I chose for this exhibit are a collection of what, I feel, is a taste of the area, for the Eastern Shore, and Maryland’s history that feeds my soul and creates a mood of soft visual calm.”

Joan Machinchick, whose practice also includes a host of related artistic disciplines, states, “The inspiration for my art is the constantly changing beauty and color, unity and diversity of all things in the natural world: the trees, sky and seasons, the wild gardens…the gentle Chesapeake Bay and the line where the water meets the shore and the earth comes alive.”

This show is part of Adkins Arboretum’s ongoing exhibition series of work on natural themes by regional artists. It is on view through October 26 at the Arboretum’s Visitor’s Center located at 12610 Eveland Road, near Tuckahoe State Park in Ridgely. Contact the Arboretum at 410-634-2847 ext. 100 or [email protected] for gallery hours.

A 400 acre native garden and preserve, Adkins Arboretum provides exceptional experiences in nature to promote environmental stewardship.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Adkins Arboretum Mystery Tuesday: Guess the photo!

by Leave a Comment

 Can you guess what is pictured in photo below?

The answer to last week’s mystery is a cardinal flower, Lobelia cardinalis, pictured  below:

 

 

Cardinal flower is a native perennial plant from North and Central America. It gets its common name from its brilliant red flowers, which resemble the vestments worn by Roman Catholic cardinals. Its spikes of red flowers on leafy stems grow up to 5 feet tall.

Cardinal flowers are a stunning splash of color that attracts pollinators like hummingbirds and butterflies. Each erect terminal raceme is covered with numerous five-lobed flowers. The tube-shaped flowers open from the bottom to the top over a period of several weeks from late summer to early fall.

Cardinal flowers do best in moist areas like wet woods, stream banks, ponds, swamps, and marshes. They thrive in areas with high humidity. The plant flowers in full sun to partial shade, but they are easily grown in filtered light.

Mystery Monday is sponsored by the Spy Newspapers and Adkins Arboretum.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Adkins Arboretum’s Mystery Monday: Guess the Picture!

by Leave a Comment

Can you guess what is pictured in photo below?

The answer to last week’s mystery is painted lady butterfly, Vanessa cardui, pictured in photo below.

The painted lady is often confused with the monarch, because their color scheme is similar, but the painted lady is smaller, with a wingspan of 2-3 inches. It also lacks the vein pattern that monarchs are known for. Painted ladies also have a mottled black and brown underside with four eyespots.

The painted lady boasts the world’s farthest known butterfly migratory route, undertaking a phenomenal 9,000-mile round trip from tropical Africa to the Arctic Circle. Some of the reasons for its widespread distribution include the wide variety of plants it feeds and lays eggs on, its ability to migrate to avoid winter, and its ability to continuously reproduce.

The painted lady makes their return migration journey at high altitude, out of view of butterfly observers on the ground. Radar records reveal that painted ladies fly at an

average altitude of over 500 meters on their southbound trip and can clock up

speeds of 30 mph allowing it to travel up to 100 miles per day during its migration

by selecting favorable conditions

Mystery Monday is sponsored by the Spy Newspapers and Adkins Arboretum.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Adkins Arboretum Mystery Monday: Guess the Photo!

by Leave a Comment

Can you guess what is pictured in photo below?
The answer to last week’s mystery is jumpseed, Tovara virginiana, pictured in photo below:

This native wildflower is a member of the buckwheat family. It isn’t a spectacularly showy flower, but it is abundant.

Jumpseed is one of the few flowers blooming in shaded woodlands from July to October in our area. A long thin flower stalk, 2-3 feet tall, arches beside or across hiking trails The tiny flowers are white, greenish-white, and sometimes pink. They are spaced at intervals on the long stem. Eventually, the flowers will bear oval shaped seeds that have a hooked tip, which “jump” off the plant when touched.

Jumpseed is native to Eastern, Central, and Southern North America, and is a very cold-hardy plant. It can grow in full sun but prefers rich, moist to wet, woodland soils in shade to partial shade conditions. Jumpseed can also be found submerged along streams and lakes where the seeds provide food for ducks, micro, and macroinvertebrates.

It is grown as an ornamental, valued especially for its various cultivars with variegated leaves.

Mystery Monday is sponsored by the Spy Newspapers and Adkins Arboretum.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Discussion of On the Tobacco Coast August 25 with Shore Lit Founder Kerry Folan and Artist Jonna McKone at Adkins Arboretum

by Leave a Comment

On The Tobacco Coast by Christopher Tilghman.

Christopher Tilghman’s new novel, On the Tobacco Coast, is the final installment in his decorated Mason family series set on the Eastern Shore and based on the Queen Anne’s County property that has been in his family since the 17th century. His four-volume chronicle, having spanned centuries and continents, addresses history, environment, race, inheritance and land legacy. It has been called “a moving capstone   of the epic projects in recent American literature.”

Adkins Arboretum and Shore Lit invite the public to a book talk on August 25. During the free event from 2 to 4 p.m., George Mason University assistant professor and Shore Lit founder Kerry Folan and artist Jonna McKone will lead a discussion about the novel. Tilghman will talk about the book with Folan on Sept. 8 at the Avalon Theatre, Easton.

McKone’s photographs of former Eastern Shore tobacco plantations will be on view in the Arboretum gallery. The program will include a guided conversation about the book and consider the changing landscape of the Eastern Shore. She will discuss her work; a reception will follow. McKone’s work will be on view at the Arboretum August 20–31.

Advance registration is appreciated at adkinsarboretum.org. For more information, visit adkinsarboretum.org or call 410-490-6930.

Adkins Arboretum is a 400-acre native garden and preserve at the headwaters of the Tuckahoe Creek in Caroline County. For more information, visit adkinsarboretum.org.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.