Monday, June 09, 2008

Heat and Hostas


Monday, June 9, 2008

Almost 7:30 PM and still 80 degrees out. The girls on the evening news were commenting on this being the third day of high temps in Vermont but since today missed 90 degrees by one degree and since you need three days to make a heat wave, we have to settle for "damn hot" (92, 91, 89) instead of "heat wave". Winter is a long time for me, so "damn hot" or "heat wave" are just fine. Gail just fired up the grill and is making supper outside tonight even though I said I'd settle for a nice salad and an iced tea. Gail always tried to do a great job whether it's family, friends or customers. (Hope she can find a little leftover potato salad as it was special!)

After work today I painted the last of the trim boards for the new building at our nursery in anticipation that this will be the final week and we can really settle in. Kim and Lennie will be there tomorrow after their regular work day and if it's raining, the electric and insulation will be finished. If it's just hot, the last of the siding and the trim will go on. We're really pleased with how it looks and feel especially good when folks ask us who designed it. They don't seem to believe that the firm of Gail and George have been designing together for some time and work well together.

As I walked around waiting for the primer to dry, I noticed a pot of Golden Tiara hosta which was sporting. All plants do this but it's more noticeable with hostas because you're always looking at the leaves. Rearrangement of genetic material results in new plants which when separated from the mom need to be grown on for a while. If they are stable, you're in business with a new plant. In the case of Golden Tiara (leaves on left of above photo), the new, all yellow, very luminescent leaves have been registered as Golden Scepter. It looks like this later on.


If the sporting goes forward and a white outline develops around each Golden Scepter leaf edge, then you have another registration, Platinum Tiara. I sold three of those Sunday so I guess they continue to be popular even though they have been around for some time. Here's Platinum Tiara taken today in one of our gardens. Looks kind of neat with the Japanese Primroses and "less" neat with the wild impatiens.


I've got a ton of paperwork to get through tonight so writing will be short. If you get a chance, stop by our new place on Route 2 in Marshfield. Same name, same people, same plant varieties, new look, new ideas. If you cannot make it in person, relive what we grow and sell at our website.


From the mountain above Peacham Pond where the ravens are speaking in nasty terms I cannot decipher and a male hummingbird just perched on a light blue bearded iris outside my office window. The day is coming to an end.

Gardening wishes;

George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
Vermont Flower Farm
Vermont Gardens

1 comment:

Carol Soules said...

Nice hosta pics! I am a big fan of them.
The temps sure were high. On June 10 we came thru some horrendous storms in Canada and vermont on our way back to Mass form Quebec.
Remember a few months ago when I asked for advice on a fence? Well we have been building a custom fence for our front garden, Stop by and see. It should all come together in the next 2 weeks as the local Garden Tour is coming through then!
Carol
terranovadesign.blogspot.com