BGuthrie Photos: DC -- U.S. Natl Arboretum -- Exhibit: Grass Roots: The Exhibit

DC -- U.S. Natl Arboretum -- Exhibit: Grass Roots: The Exhibit:

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Description of Pictures: Grass Roots: The Exhibit
A first-of-its-kind interactive outdoor exhibit at the National Arboretum focuses on new cultivars of turf developed through research programs—including the Arboretum’s—and science-based management of lawns and turfgrass. The primary message of the exhibit is that the best lawns are developed and managed with their purposes in mind, whether those purposes are golf and other sports, linking landscape elements, conserving soil, assuring water retention, or simply beautiful landscapes.

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Copyrights: All pictures were taken by amateur photographer Bruce Guthrie (me!) who retains copyright on them. Free for non-commercial use with attribution. See the [Creative Commons] definition of what this means. "Photos (c) Bruce Guthrie" is fine for attribution. (Commercial use folks including AI scrapers can of course contact me.) Feel free to use in publications and pages with attribution but you don't have permission to sell the photos themselves. A free copy of any printed publication using any photographs is requested. Descriptive text, if any, is from a mixture of sources, quite frequently from signs at the location or from official web sites; copyrights, if any, are retained by their original owners.

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Specific picture descriptions: Photos above with "i" icons next to the bracketed sequence numbers (e.g. "[1] ") are described as follows:
1. ARBORG_160614_009.JPG: Bottoms Up! Unlike the leaves of most plants, grass leaves grow from the bottom up. The cells that divide to make the leaves grow are found at the base of the leaves. When you mow your grass, only the tips of the leaves are removed. The dividing cells are found at the base of the leaf where it is protected and can continue to divide and grow. Grasses can tolerate foot traffic, fire, and grazing because of this unusual growth pattern.
2. ARBORG_160614_011.JPG: Remarkable Roots Grasses have an extensive system of small roots that allow them to hold soil and dust and survive drought. Certain types of grasses can have over 300 miles of roots reaching as far as 7 feet below the soil surface. As they decompose, these roots became the organic foundation of our most fertile agriculture soils. Whether living or dead, grass roots help reduce global warming by storing vast quantities of carbon in the soil. An acre of grassland may remove as much as one ton of carbon from the atmosphere per year.
3. ARBORG_160614_014.JPG: Grasses Grab Pollutants Lawns and rain gardens work together to keep stormwater on site and remove pollutants that would otherwise flow into storm drains or streams. The lawn portion of our rain garden shows runoff, intercepts sediment, and holds the soil to prevent erosion. The rest of the rain garden is planted with ornamental grasses and sedges adapted to thrive in soils that are sometimes saturated. In this part fo the garden, stormwater slowly percolates into the soil.
4. ARBORG_160614_019.JPG: Happy With Heat: Some grasses are dormant in cold weather and grow mainly during the warmer months of the year. These warm-season turfgrasses thrive during summer heat and stay green with minimal watering during drought, but most species in this category are poorly adapted to surviving winters in the far north. Common warm-season turfgrasses include zoysia and bermudagrass.
5. ARBORG_160614_022.JPG: Content with Cold: Some grasses are dormant in hot, dry weather and grow rapidly in spring and fall when conditions are cool and wet. Cool-season turfgrasses may adapt to summer heat and drought by turning brown and growing less, but many of them also tolerate bitter cold, so they tend to be used in lawns where winters are harsh. Common cool-season turfgrasses include Kentucky bluegrass and fescue species.
6. ARBORG_160614_033.JPG: Grass Roots: Welcome to the first exhibit to explore the science, history, and environmental benefits of grasses! Human interaction with grasses has a long and rich history. Today lawns are a hot issue in the ongoing environmental stewardship debate. Science allows us to make the best use of these adaptable and resilient plants to enhance and protect the environment. Look for banners throughout the exhibit to explore the science behind grasses in our everyday lives. Use the QR codes on the banners to learn more and to link to our Grass Roots Web site.
7. ARBORG_160614_039.JPG: Game-Winning Grass: We expect sports turf to perform as well as the athletes. Sports fields are highly engineered -- they must meet stringent requirements for uniformity, safety, and aesthetic quality. Synthetic turf, while often considered a low-maintenance playing surface, requires maintenance that includes cleaning, topdressing, disinfecting, and irrigation for cooling.
8. ARBORG_160614_047.JPG: Lawn of the Future: Do you struggle to maintain grass in your lawn? In the future, homeowners may grow more regionally adapted species in their lawns to overcome some of the challenging conditions. People already use buffalo grass and crested wheatgrass in dry regions. Developing grasses that perform well in specific regions will greatly improve the sustainability of lawns. US National Arboretum scientists are working with poverty oatgrass, Danthonia spicata, to understand how this grass is able to survive under the most challenging turf conditions. Native to most of North America, Danthonia thrives in dry acidic soils and prefers shaded locations. The fact that it grows well without fertilizer, watering, pesticides, or frequent mowing has scientists excited about its potential for more sustainable lawns.
9. ARBORG_160614_050.JPG: Lawn of the Future: Do you struggle to maintain grass in your lawn? In the future, homeowners may grow more regionally adapted species in their lawns to overcome some of the challenging conditions. People already use buffalo grass and crested wheatgrass in dry regions. Developing grasses that perform well in specific regions will greatly improve the sustainability of lawns. US National Arboretum scientists are working with poverty oatgrass, Danthonia spicata, to understand how this grass is able to survive under the most challenging turf conditions. Native to most of North America, Danthonia thrives in dry acidic soils and prefers shaded locations. The fact that it grows well without fertilizer, watering, pesticides, or frequent mowing has scientists excited about its potential for more sustainable lawns.
10. ARBORG_160614_053.JPG: Green Golf: The US Golf Association has been a leader in promoting turfgrass research, beginning in 1920 with its first collaboration with the US Department of Agriculture to develop improved turfgrass. Today, golf courses respond to environmental concerns by using species in roughs that require less mowing, planting buffers for waterways, and incorporating grasses for wildlife habitat. In heavily developed areas, golf courses serve an important function by providing green space for stormwater management and groundwater recharge.
11. ARBORG_160614_064.JPG: Pond: Ponds of golf courses store rainwater and runoff that may be used for irrigation. In many locations, they also serve as habitat and a source of water for a variety of animals and wetlands plants.
12. ARBORG_160614_065.JPG: Buffer: The tightly knit roots of plants in the buffer serve to filter runoff water before it enters the pond. These plants can also provide habitat and food for wildlife.
13. ARBORG_160614_074.JPG: Rough: Greenskeepers mow the rough higher and less frequently than the fairway. Most golf courses use regionally adapted grasses for roughs, since they require less water, fertilizer, and pest and disease control. Our rough is planted with a mixture of tall fescue and Kentucky bluegrass varieties.
14. ARBORG_160614_077.JPG: Fairway: Fairways occupy a lot of space on the golf course, so reducing inputs there can really help the environment. The warm-season grass zoysia is becoming more popular for fairways because it needs less water and fertilizer than many other grasses, yet it still provides the dense and uniform turf that fairways need. The US Department of Agriculture and the US Golf Association introduced the first popular zoysia cultivar, 'Meyer'. Our fairway is planted with 'Zeon' zoysia, a variety of a related species that has outstanding drought tolerance.
15. ARBORG_160614_081.JPG: Putting Green: Every aspect of this putting green is carefully engineered. The soil is mostly sand so water drains through it rapidly, but not before it is filtered by the dense network of grass roots. We are using bentgrass, the predominant species growing on greens in our area. US National Arboretum and university scientists are working to develop bentgrasses that are more tolerant of heat and drought and more resistant to pests and diseases.
16. ARBORG_160614_088.JPG: History of Lawns: Millions of Years Ago: As areas of the Earth became drier, grasslands spread across the continents. People found grasslands with scattered trees, known as savannas, to be good places to live. Studies show we still prefer savanna-like landscapes.
17. ARBORG_160614_093.JPG: History of Lawns: 11,000 Years Ago: Domestication of grasses led to people settling in permanent communities. Rye was first domesticated at least 11,000 years ago, according to archaeological evidence found in Syria.
18. ARBORG_160614_105.JPG: History of Lawns 1457: People found that grassy areas were perfect for games. Golf was first mentioned in 1457 when King James II of Scotland issued an edict that soldiers were not to play golf because it distracted them from archery practice.
19. ARBORG_160614_110.JPG: History of Lawns: 1600: Lawns as we know them today were first grown on the estates of the wealthy in 17th century England. Sheep and other animals commonly grazed early lawns.
20. ARBORG_160614_116.JPG: History of Lawns: 1830: The invention of the lawn mower in England in 1830 made it possible for the average homeowner to have a lawn. Hand mowers manufactured under American patents became widely available in this country in the late 1860s.
21. ARBORG_160614_124.JPG: History of Lawns: 1840: In the United States, architect and landscape gardener Andrew Jackson Downing pioneered the use of lawns around homes. Frederick Law Olmstead promoted lawns by including them in the designs for public spaces. Americans embraced lawns at home and in their communities.
22. ARBORG_160614_130.JPG: History of Lawns: Present: Modern breeding techniques help scientists develop grasses that have reduced water and fertilizer needs and increased stress resistance. As a result, future consumers will have more options for matching turf types and their specific conditions.
23. ARBORG_160614_134.JPG: Drip System: Drip irrigation applies water slowly and directly to the root zone and is the most water-efficient system. It can be installed beneath mulch, underground, or on the surface. It is best for vegetable gardens, planters, and narrow or odd-shaped beds.
24. ARBORG_160614_136.JPG: Pop-up Spray System: Pop-up spray heads deliver water 5-17 feet in a constant spray to smaller areas like home lawns and planting beds. Nozzle sizes should be selected with mature plant heights in mind to ensure even coverage.
25. ARBORG_160614_140.JPG: Rotary Sprinkler System: Rotary sprinkler heads, also simply called rotors, are best for larger turf areas like those on golf courses and sports fields. They deliver a moving stream of water to a broad area.
26. ARBORG_160614_146.JPG: Anatomy of a Landscape Sprinkler System: Properly watering lawn and garden areas helps conserve water, promotes healthy plants, and saves time and money. The key to any irrigation system is matching the water delivery system to the area being watered. This display shows you the underground parts of three different irrigation systems. Which system would be best for your landscape?
27. ARBORG_160614_149.JPG: Going with the Flow: All irrigation systems have main line pipes that deliver water under constant pressure to irrigation control valves; these vales open to individual rotary, pop-up spray, or drip water distribution systems. In order to prevent overwatering or underwatering, each of these systems is positioned so that it will irrigate and area of the landscape with plants that share similar water needs. The valves open when activated by a control panel and reduce water pressure to the right level for each type of distribution system.
28. ARBORG_160614_152.JPG: Weather Station: This device's sensors monitor rainfall, air temperature, solar radiation, wind, and humidity. A "smart" control panel connected to the station uses this information to calculate when to turn irrigation on and off at the valves.
29. ARBORG_160614_160.JPG: Liquid Assets: Grass needs water to stay green throughout the growing season in much of the country. With greater pressure on water resources and concern about the energy consumption associated with pumping irrigation water, scientists and engineers have been working hard to develop irrigation technologies that make the most of every drop. A key way to save water is to apply it at the correct pressure so the water droplets are large and less likely to blow away or evaporate.
30. ARBORG_160614_166.JPG: Feed Me! Proper fertilization can help your turf grow thick and healthy so it can function more efficiently as an environmental asset, filtering runoff and preventing erosion. The amount of fertilizer your lawn needs depends on the grass species you grow and the fertility of your soil. Allowing clippings to remain in your lawn can provide some of the nutrients it needs. Look at the two examples planted here to see how fertilization can help your turf reach its full environmental potential. Apply fertilizer in the right season -- fall for cool-season grasses and early summer for warm-season grasses.
31. ARBORG_160614_170.JPG: Apply fertilizer at the right rate based on your grass species and soil test results. Use slow-release fertilizers to provide your lawn with small amounts of nutrients over a long period of time. Sweep fertilizer off sidewalks and driveways to prevent water pollution.
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