Warm-season vegetables require warm soil to germinate, grow and mature properly.

Warm-season vegetables are generally planted after the last chance of a killing frost. For West Tennessee, that is after April 15. Some warm-season vegetables will survive and produce into the fall, but must be planted no later than early July.

It is important to have your soil tested when planting a vegetable garden. Most vegetables need a pH from 6.0 to 6.5.

Lime influences how well a plant takes up other fertilizers from the soil. The Extension Service has soil boxes and information sheets for taking soil samples. (See contact information at the end of this column.)

It is best not to plant tomatoes or other vegetables in the same location for two consecutive years. If possible, move planting locations for vegetables around the garden so they are not planted in the same place more than once every three years. This does not eliminate, but will help prevent disease from building up so rapidly in the soil.

Crop rotation is also a good way to help cut down on the amount of fertilizer you will need to add to your vegetable garden. Crops vary as to the amount of nutrients they use from the soil. Some plants are classified as heavy feeders, some are light feeders, and some add nitrogen to the soil.

Some of the heavy feeders are corn, cabbage, cauliflower and greens. Some of the light feeders are carrots and potatoes. Plants that add nutrients to the soil include beans and peas.

It would be good to plant your heavy-feeder vegetables where you had your peas and beans, because those vegetables add nutrients to the soil. This can cut down on the amount of fertilizer you add to your garden.

The basic elements for garden fertilizers are nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Nitrogen is needed for vegetables that have lots of leaves — greens or cabbages.

Phosphorus is needed for vegetables that have fruits — tomatoes or peppers. Potassium is needed for vegetables that have roots — carrots or potatoes.

If you add too much nitrogen fertilizer to your tomato plants, you can end up with lots of leaves and no tomatoes.

All these elements can be used in your vegetable garden, but in small amounts, depending on the vegetable you are growing.

Also, remember vegetable gardens need about 6 to 7 hours of sunlight per day. Many insects attack plants that belong to certain groups of vegetables. For example, cucumber beetles enjoy cucumbers, squash and melons. They do not bother corn or peas.

E-mail your questions to bleigh1@utk.edu. Include your name and where you live. For more gardening information, call the Tipton County Extension office at (901) 476-0231 or the Shelby County Extension office at ( 901) 752-1207.

Booker T. Leigh is the extension director for Tipton County.

BRIARCLIFF MANOR, N.Y. – Dawn Orza doesn’t just plant native flowers in Briarcliff Manor because they look nice. She does it to preserve all wildlife in the area.

“We have some beautiful plants but they’re not just nice for gardening, they’re the food source for all of our native wildlife,” Orza said Wednesday. “They feed the insects that are the food source for our birds. That’s why it’s so important. If we start losing our native plants, we’ll start to see our native species disappearing.”

Orza should know, she’s the Village of Briarcliff Manor’s horticulturalist and is responsible for planting thousands of flowers around the area. Orza and Brooke Beebe, past director of the Native Plant Center at Westchester Community College, both gave presentations Wednesday night during the Briarcliff Manor Public Library’s Garden Workshop. The two stressed the importance of using native plants and also gave tips on creating green and beautiful gardens.

Dozens of residents attending the presentation applauding Orza’s work around the village. But Orza said she’s also impressed with what she sees from residents.

“I know there are so many people involved and interested in gardening and I often see many that are really well kept,” she said. “I get a lot of comments that people enjoy what they see in the village and I want to let people know they can do the same thing.”

Beebe, who’s also a Briarcliff resident, complemented Orza’s work in the village Wednesday night.

“The village itself looks so much better now that Dawn has taken it over,” Beebe said. “It’s really nice to have someone locally who cares so much about gardening and using native plants and using green methods to do it.”

Orza and Beebe gave a few tips to gardeners, like using deer-repelling native plants to keep deer away and growing grass longer in the summertime to ensure that it stays healthy longer. In addition to the Native Plant Center website, Orza and Beebe also pointed to Leave Leaves Alone, a Bedford organization with tips on handling leaves and other yard work. Many of the websites mentioned are set to be available at the Briarcliff Manor Public Library, along with dozens of books on gardening.

“As gardeners we always love to learn more,” Beebe said. “And I think that’s one of the best parts about gardening is that there is always something more to learn and ways we can improve and the library is such a great place to learn about those things.”  

There are many wonderful photo opportunities during the Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival every year, and this year is not an exception. While I’m not an expert photographer by any means, today I’m going to use some examples to show you how to take better photos, especially during the Festival.

The ostrich topiaries are one of the various display in the main entrance planter, which is currently themed to
Fantasia. During the afternoon, these topiaries have their back to the sun. So how are you supposed to take good photographs of them if you don’t get to Epcot until later on?

This photo of the Fantasia ostriches in the main entry planter is taken from too far away, and the backlighting makes the ostriches much harder to see clearly. Photo by Mark Goldhaber.

We’re going to look at two techniques here. Firstly, get close to your subject. The less space around the focus of the shot, the more likely the camera will be to better adjust the exposure for a shaded image. In addition, consider the use of a fill flash; force your camera’s flash to trigger, even though the bright background will make the auto-exposure want to suppress the flash. Firing the flash will light the front of the subject despite the bright background, or “fill in” the rest of the picture.

Now the ostriches pull your attention to them, and the fill flash makes their features much easier to see. Photo by Mark Goldhaber.

One of the biggest issues that vacation photographers seem to have is being in too much of a hurry to see everything—to get a quick shot and then move on to the next location, as if it’s a checklist of things that must be done in a certain amount of time.

If the shot is there, sometimes patience is the best approach.

In a hurry to get the shot and move on? This completely adequate photo of a Future World parterre may be the result. Photo by Mark Goldhaber.

If you’re in a hurry, you may not notice that the clouds that are currently dimming the view will not be there shortly; you just have to wait them out. Patience is one of the most valuable tools in a photographer’s arsenal.

With a bit of patience, the sun emerges and improves the shot tremendously, making the colors more vibrant. Photo by Mark Goldhaber.

Sometimes the required patience is not for natural phenomena but rather other park guests. At some popular locations, it can be difficult to get a clear shot due to others trying to take their own photos in front of the topiaries, especially if you are trying to take the photo from a different angle as those posing in front of the blooms.

In these cases it may help to have someone helping you, perhaps by standing in line with the posing guests and then backing out of the picture when it’s your turn. Another method of teamwork is to have your “assistant” block the approach to the line and explain that you’re trying to get a photo with no people in it. It may work to have a conversation with your friend discussing that you think you can get the picture that you’ve been waiting for “as soon as this next guest is done and moves away.” Not every guest will respect this stated intent, but many will, rewarding your patience with the opportunity to take the shot that you’ve been waiting for.

It was a long wait for the walkway in front of this popular topiary to clear of people taking photos, but the dwarfs’ faces are still in shadow. Photo by Mark Goldhaber.

Once you get your opening, you should already be prepared with any adjustments you may need to make; shifting your location and warming up your fill flash are two examples. In this scenario, you may only have two or three quick shots before the next group moves in for their photo opportunity.

The use of fill flash lets you see the faces of the dwarfs. Photo by Mark Goldhaber.

Sometimes, capturing all of the topiaries in a given flower bed is not the best way to capture an interesting image. This year Peter Pan is holding down the big planter along the causeway between Future World and World Showcase, along with Captain Hook, Tick-Tock the croc, and a treasure chest full of booty.

This long shot captures all of the topiaries in the Future World causeway, but it doesn’t really have a focus or tell a story. Photo by Mark Goldhaber.

Take a look and see which characters are the best-positioned and seem to have a story to tell. In this case, you can tell the story of Tick-Tock and Captain Hook, making it seem as if the croc is about to finally catch the pirate.

By focusing on just two characters, a narrative emerges and a better shot appears. Photo by Mark Goldhaber.

In the Pixie Hollow Fairy Garden, Tinker Bell and her fairy friends hold court in topiary form. At various times of day, the fairies have various amounts of sunlight shining on them, and their poses do not necessarily work well from all angles.

At the Pixie Hollow Fairy Garden, Iridessa fades into the background, and her arms appear to be in an awkward position. Photo by Mark Goldhaber.

By moving your location to best fit the subject and using a fill flash, your photograph looks much better.

Iridessa’s arms look much more natural, and she is lit much better with a fill flash. Photo by Mark Goldhaber.

Shifting your approach and using a fill flash are useful in many situations. While sometimes the best shot of the topiaries themselves is from an unusual angle, sometimes it’s really from dead center in front of them.

This is a nice, safe long shot of the Toy Story planter. The photo was taken from out of the way of the Photopass photographer standing out front. Photo by Mark Goldhaber.

In the case of topiaries, you will want to consider the locations that the figures are apparently looking towards. If you’ve got multiple figures and the direction of their visions cross, that is a great spot to shoot from. In the case of this year’s Woody and Buzz topiaries, their vision crosses at a spot about halfway between them and the location of the Photopass photographer stationed nearby. To improve the photo even more, consider kneeling down to get fully into the focus of both characters.

Despite a little lens flare, Woody and Buzz are looking right at you, and the fill flash lights up their faces for you. Photo by Mark Goldhaber.

Continuing the “get closer” and “check the figures’ sightlines” tips, don’t be afraid to kneel or sit on the ground to get your shot. Taking a photo from farther away is not a new one, and sometimes results in quite good photographs. At other times, however, the really attention-getting shot must be taken from wherever is best, and again sometimes requires patience and strategy to get a clear shot from your ideal location.

This photo gives a nice long view of the Lady and the Tramp topiary at the Italy pavilion amid a floral display. Photo by Mark Goldhaber.

By getting in closer and below the topiary, the two dogs “pop” in this picture. Photo by Mark Goldhaber.

Continuing the “get closer” and “check the figures’ sightlines” tips, don’t be afraid to kneel or sit on the ground to get your shot. Taking a photo from farther away is not a new one, and sometimes results in quite good photographs. At other times, however, the really attention-geting shot must be taken from wherever is best, and again sometimes requires patience and strategy to get a clear shot from your ideal location.

“Where is the best place to shoot from: is a question that you need to answer. Often, the most documentary shots are taking from straight in front, while the most artistic shots are frequently from a tighter angle.

These pandas are made to look as if they’re having fun. Photo by Mark Goldhaber.

From the side, it looks as if the pandas are all playing together. Photo by Mark Goldhaber.

Finally, consider each and every possible angle for your photo. Sometimes the best photos are the ones that you didn’t expect to take.

This long shot of the dragon at the China pavilion again covers the entire subject, but doesn’t pop. Photo by Mark Goldhaber.

Zooming in tighter will give you a much more dramatic photo of the dragon. Photo by Mark Goldhaber.

Sometimes taking a shot around the back side presents a great new take on the subject matter, while other attempts such as this one really don’t look great at all. Photo by Mark Goldhaber.

By closing in for a head shot, the dragon fills the frame and brings it to life. Photo by Mark Goldhaber.

Sometimes the best shot is such a closeup that you can’t even see what the original subject was. Photo by Mark Goldhaber.

What are your favorite photo tips? Share them in the comments below!

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From Mother Nature Network’s Morieka Johnson:

Deborah Harrison is preparing for a feeding frenzy.

She was hanging a bat house recently when I called to talk about gardening. In addition to their powers of pollination, bats make summers a bit more tolerable by feasting on bugs. According to Bat Conservation International, one brown bat can eat up to 1,000 mosquitoes in an hour, and Harrison expects a long, bug-filled summer.

“We didn’t have enough real cold, sustained temperatures, and that’s what kills insect larvae,” says Harrison, general manager of Habersham Gardens in Atlanta. “Nothing reduced the insect population, so they are all going to hatch and it is going to be wild.”

Forewarned is forearmed.

While I’m not quite ready to build an enclosure and welcome bats to my backyard, birds and butterflies provide welcome entertainment for my dog Lulu. Once flowers start blooming, she spends hours staring out the back window. I’m stepping up my game this year so that she has plenty of eye candy later this year. Prepare your lawn — and your pets — for spring and summer.

List and captions courtesy of MNN

Rake fallen leaves, twigs and old mulch, then bypass the compost bin and simply toss it. “That’s where insects lay their eggs,” Harrison says. “Start fresh with new mulch.”

In addition to being aesthetically pleasing, mulch protects roots and keeps plants hydrated. Pine straw gets the job done, but Harrison says dark walnut hardwood mulch has become popular among gardeners.

“It is the most beautiful, deep rich, very dark brown and it sets up plants like nothing you have ever seen,” she says. “It is beautiful.”

As you apply that fresh layer of lawn cover, be sure to monitor any pets playing outdoors. Parasites tend to thrive in mulch, and consuming large chunks of wood can cause blockages, says Dr. Arhonda Johnson, owner of The Ark Animal Hospital in Atlanta. Pet owners also should avoid sweet-smelling cocoa mulch, which is toxic to cats and dogs. According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA.org), side effects include diarrhea and vomiting.

Flickr image courtesy of rfduck

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Rake fallen leaves, twigs and old mulch, then bypass the compost bin and simply toss it. “That’s where insects lay their eggs,” Harrison says. “Start fresh with new mulch.”

In addition to being aesthetically pleasing, mulch protects roots and keeps plants hydrated. Pine straw gets the job done, but Harrison says dark walnut hardwood mulch has become popular among gardeners.

“It is the most beautiful, deep rich, very dark brown and it sets up plants like nothing you have ever seen,” she says. “It is beautiful.”

As you apply that fresh layer of lawn cover, be sure to monitor any pets playing outdoors. Parasites tend to thrive in mulch, and consuming large chunks of wood can cause blockages, says Dr. Arhonda Johnson, owner of The Ark Animal Hospital in Atlanta. Pet owners also should avoid sweet-smelling cocoa mulch, which is toxic to cats and dogs. According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA.org), side effects include diarrhea and vomiting.

Flickr image courtesy of rfduck

Rake fallen leaves, twigs and old mulch, then bypass the compost bin and simply toss it. “That’s where insects lay their eggs,” Harrison says. “Start fresh with new mulch.”

In addition to being aesthetically pleasing, mulch protects roots and keeps plants hydrated. Pine straw gets the job done, but Harrison says dark walnut hardwood mulch has become popular among gardeners.

“It is the most beautiful, deep rich, very dark brown and it sets up plants like nothing you have ever seen,” she says. “It is beautiful.”

As you apply that fresh layer of lawn cover, be sure to monitor any pets playing outdoors. Parasites tend to thrive in mulch, and consuming large chunks of wood can cause blockages, says Dr. Arhonda Johnson, owner of The Ark Animal Hospital in Atlanta. Pet owners also should avoid sweet-smelling cocoa mulch, which is toxic to cats and dogs. According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA.org), side effects include diarrhea and vomiting.

Flickr image courtesy of rfduck

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Plant Sales

As promised last week here are more plant sales to add to your list for April through May. Be sure to clip and save today’s column for future reference.

April 27 and April 28, Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. — Central Valley Garden Club at the Central Valley Community Hall on Central Valley Road, north of Waaga Way.

April 28, Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. — Books and Blooms at the Manchester Library. This sale includes plants and books. All proceeds go to support the Manchester Library. The Friends of Manchester Library own and maintain the library building and plantings. This is one of their main fundraisers each year.

May 5, Saturday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. — Kingston Garden Club at the Kingston Community Center near the library.

May 5, Saturday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. — Poulsbo Garden Club — Parking lot of Northwest Design Center, corner of Hostmark and Highway 305.

May 5, Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. — Peninsula Fuchsia Society Plant Sale — Cat Barn at the Kitsap Fairgrounds, 1200 NW Fairgrounds Road.

May 5, Saturday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. — Lakebay Fuchsia Plant Sale — Key Peninsula Community Center, 17010 South Vaughn Road KPN, Vaughn.

May 5, Saturday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. — Bainbridge Island Garden Club Plant Sale — Ace Hardware Parking Lot.

May 11, Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday, May 12 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. — Kitsap Master Gardener Foundation Plant Sale in the Van Zee Building at the Kitsap Fairgrounds, 1200 NW Fairgrounds Road.

Pruning

Let’s talk briefly about pruning. I am very chagrined about the pruning atrocities I see throughout our peninsula. I’m sure pruning atrocities abound in other areas too, but every day whether I’m driving or walking, I can’t help but notice what people have mistakenly done to our woody plants and trees. Surely they aren’t doing it on purpose.

I know none of you would purposely butcher or maim a woody shrub or tree. However, if you’re wondering if you could learn a bit more about pruning then here are a few tips to follow.

Know the plant. Many of us inherit a garden without any instructions or plant identification. During spring and summer when the plant is leafed out and blooming, carefully snip off an inconspicuous stem section (about one foot long if possible) for nursery staff or local Master Gardener to identify; or bring it to the Extension Office in downtown Bremerton, 345 6th Street, Suite 550. Good digital photos work, too, but make sure to show something in the image to indicate scale and size of the sample.

Second and perhaps most important is to know the correct time of year to prune or if the plant should even be pruned. Some plants flower on old wood, others need pruning in the fall and others need pruning in summer. Know your plant before whacking away at it. Also know if it’s an ornamental or fruiting plant. It’s sometimes difficult to know if it’s a flowering ornamental cherry or plum desired for its blossoms or for fruit production bearing edible cherries or plums. Ornamental trees should rarely be pruned and fruit producing trees need pruning nearly every year. Know the tree!

Third, and also very important, is to use sharp, clean tools. Use bypass pruners rather than long straight blade type pruners. The long blade tools are for shearing hedges not for clean-cut pruning. Pruning saws are also important depending on the size of the woody stems and branches to be removed. We’ll talk about pruning in more detail in a future column.

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Kinetic Fountains, an innovative leader in high quality indoor and outdoor fountains, has today announced important tips for welcoming spring.

Finally, garden fountains can also make excellent additions to landscaping and they can be used to help pull a design together, creating a unique outdoor area. Whether designing a formal garden or a casual spot for relaxing in the warm spring sunshine, Kinetic Fountains offers a full range of outdoor fountains, from stone garden fountains to urns and vases, bamboo fountains, brass garden fountains and more. Kinetic Fountains offers a broad range of styles, from whimsical frogs and butterflies to Victorian themed outdoor fountains and even Greco-Roman garden fountains.

To find out more about the various outdoor garden fountains on offer or to place an order, visit the company at http://www.KineticFountains.com.

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Question: What kitchen-friendly herbs will thrive being planted outdoors in our Phoenix desert climate? I had a large planter built in a mostly shaded garden location and would like to plant an herb garden, if possible.

Answer: Herbs can be grown without a lot of care and do well in our well-drained desert soils. Herbs in the shade are possible, and here are a few I would suggest:

1. Parsley can tolerate a high degree of shade, doing well with only two hours of sunlight a day. Parsley must be kept trimmed to keep it from sprawling.

2. Mints do well in the shade with proper moisture. Mints are vigorous growers and could possibly be planted in a container and sunk in the ground to keep in check. Pinching back will keep plants from getting leggy.

3. Chives also do well in the shade. Use chives as a fill-in with more colorful herbs. You will still get the great taste in the shade.

4. Thyme comes in many varieties and cultivars that do well in the desert shade. Thyme is a fragrant, really hardy plant that does best with a little dappled shade.

5. Lemon balm is one of the easiest herbs to grow in full or dappled shade. Keep lemon balm trimmed for more compact growth.

6. Shiso, or beefsteak plant, comes in at least three colors — green, purple and a bicolor. They are aesthetically beautiful and culinary delights. Shiso is also versatile and, when combined with cilantro and mint, can be used as spice for seafood and rice.

7. Cilantro, a common culinary herb of the Southwest and Mexico, can do well in dappled sunlight but needs a little maintenance to keep it full and fresh.

8. Bay tree is a small evergreen tree or shrub that does well in dappled shade in the lower deserts. Often called sweet bay, the leaves are used in spicing meats and vegetables.

It is really important to not overwater herbs in the summer. Herbs like it relatively dry. Watering deeply once a week is crucial — especially if summer rain is inadequate. But if we do get a good monsoon, regulate accordingly.

Fertilize herbs in the fall so they can get a good start to the winter growing season.

For further information on growing herbs, you can call the plant hotline at the Desert Botanical Garden at 480-481-8120 or e-mail planthotline@dbg.org.

If you are really interested in furthering your herb knowledge, you might contact the Arizona Herb Association associated with the Maricopa County Cooperative Extension. This group meets monthly and usually has great speakers and educational programs.

Q: In September 2010, I rented a house in central Phoenix and was delighted to see that my neighbor had a mature Bauhinia variegata in her front yard.

It had a full, lush canopy, and I couldn’t wait until I could see it in bloom. Unfortunately, that winter’s frosts destroyed all the flower clusters. Later, the neighbor had a tree service prune back all the frost damage. They did not wait to see where new growth was developing; they just hacked it back indiscriminately.

Fortunately, the tree rebounded and re-established a lush full canopy — a beautiful sight to see even without being in bloom. This winter it was not damaged, and I was thrilled to see that all of the branches had large bloom clusters at their tips and the large, magenta blooms were starting to open.

Imagine how horrified I was one morning to be awakened by a tree service pruning the tips of the tree and thinning out the inner branches — while it was in bloom!

What a travesty. Will you please comment on the proper pruning for this beautiful tree?

A: The purple orchid tree, or Bauhinia variegata, is a beautiful umbrella-shaped flowering tree that grows to 20 feet. This tree will usually bloom in late winter in the lower deserts.

After this tree finishes blooming in mid-spring, it will begin producing a lot of seed pods. This is the time to trim off the pods and do a little pruning of dead wood and any extremely elongated growth.

Bauhinia is best if left more natural for bloom production and for the real character of the plant.

I would never trim this plant into a sheared lollipop. Anyone who trims it this way doesn’t understand proper pruning for it.

More Arizona gardening advice

Kissinger is director of horticulture at the Desert Botanical Garden. E-mail garden questions to kara.morrison@arizonarepublic.com.

Spring has sprung with enthusiasm.

With temperatures in the high 70s and low 80s, it seems hard to believe that there could still be a freeze over the next couple of weeks, but according to University of Tennessee Extension agent Tom Stebbins, there is still a 50 percent chance of frost before April 15.

Therefore, waiting a few more weeks before getting those plants in the ground might be the wisest course of action. In the meantime, however, there are things to do to get the garden ready.

“If you already have a garden, we’re doing a lot of ground prep around here,” said Joel Houser, executive director at Crabtree Farms.

This weekend, Crabtree is hosting a Ready To Garden workshop. Houser shared some tips on how to prepare a garden ahead of time.

Some people will use raised beds, while others prefer to plant directly in the ground. It is up to the individual gardener to decide between planting in the ground or using raised beds. Raised beds can be preferable for those with limited mobility. Raised beds, he said, also warm up faster than garden soil.

Once you have determined where you want your garden to be and have decided whether you wish to have a raised garden or not, there are some simple steps that can help get things ready to start planting once that frost warning has passed.

1Mow. To prepare the ground to till the soil or set up a raised bed, mow the lawn as short as possible.

2Test the soil. Houser said a soil test “makes all the difference in the world.” A soil test allows you to know what kind of nutrients are contained in the soil, so as to create the most ideal base to grow a garden.

“The key to a healthy garden is healthy soil,” he said.

3Till the soil. Once the soil is not too wet, but not too dry, start tilling. Tilling soil will loosen it to create a seed bed. It will also help to kill the weeds and distribute nutrients. Houser suggests tilling about three weeks before beginning the planting process.

4If you have a raised bed, put down some cardboard. If you want to put in a raised bed, use a mix of topsoil and compost.

“You want to do something to kill the grass if you’re doing a raised bed,” Houser said.

He said he prefers to put down cardboard, which will kill the grass and then disintegrate into the soil.

5Mulch, maybe. In general, you’d wait on mulching until May, he said, but it could cool down soil, causing slower root growth. However, the warmth actually might allow it sooner.

An alternative, he said, is to lay down moistened newspaper covered with straw and then dig holes in which to plant through that. This method also helps to keep the weeds out.

Anniversary mania is so prevalent in classical music that any landmark year ending with a zero or a five will be celebrated and marketed – and, with luck, will help focus the attention of a public faced with a millennium’s worth of music to choose from.

With immense wit and perhaps tongue in cheek, Lyric Fest, the Philadelphia art song collective, unveiled the program titled “A Very Good Year: Happy Birthday to 1912” last weekend. Why not? Not only was 1912 a hundred years ago – two zeros! – it was the year the song “Happy Birthday” was published. More than in most anniversaries, the net was cast wide. As mezzo-soprano Suzanne DuPlantis pointed out, any given moment in art is full of things dying, birthing, and flourishing. It was in 1912 that we said goodbye to Jules Massenet and hello to Gene Kelly, followed by John Cage but preceded by Perry Como (according to the program booklet).

With DuPlantis joined by Zach Borichevsky, Meagan Miller, Randi Marrazzo, and Randall Scarlata, the program ranged from the ultralight “When Irish Eyes are Smiling” to a scene from Puccini’s Girl of the Golden West, with composers from Irving Berlin to Cage.

Discoveries began in the very first song. Simple arpeggios have rarely been more eloquent than in “Orpheus With His Lute” by the little-known Ivor Gurney (and as elegantly sung as Borichevsky). Reynaldo Hahn was represented by “Song at the edge of the fountain,” which was uncharacteristically spare, had little time for superficial charm, and, as sung by Marrazzo, emerged as one of the composer’s most distinctive creations. Among the composers who died young: Lili Boulanger, whose choral work Spring had conversational nattering amid long-breathed lines, and the Finn Toivo Kuula, whose “The Wood Sprite” found the dark heart of a fairy-tale text.

DuPlantis had some choice items such as “In the Garden” by Ottorino Respighi, often imprinting the music with her personality as deeply as Ian Bostridge a few weeks back, but with infinitely greater emotional underpinning – a quality that turned Cage’s potentially meandering “The Wonderful Widow” into a winding emotional journey.

The crowd pleaser was Delaware-raised Miller, in her first area appearance since re-debuting as a Straussian soprano. “There is a realm where all is pure” from Strauss’ Ariadne auf Naxos fit her voice and linguistic abilities beautifully. The acoustically dry Academy of Vocal Arts (Sunday’s venue) prompted some oversinging. The Chamber Singers of Haverford and Bryn Mawr Colleges – on hand for short choral works by Edward Elgar and others – suffered more from the acoustics, which revealed even the slightest pitch problems.

Contact music critic David Patrick Stearns at dstearns@phillynews.com.