Next Year's Peonies

Thursday, July 19, 2007

9:15 PM and it has been a long day and a long time since I have appeared as The Vermont Gardener. In the past days I have met hundreds of new gardeners I never knew before and I have shared lots of information about growing hostas and peonies. As the faces of happy gardeners whiz through my mind, the rain is pounding off the standing seam metal roof like it has been since early July. It doesn't seem to stop.


I never did find my rain gauge this spring but I know it's in the cellar some place. It doesn't matter as the past three weeks have only offered a couple nice days and a lot of wet ones. Noah didn't need a rain gauge to be reminded to start hammering on the ark and I guess I don't need one either.


This weekend we kind of ended our Hosta Days but not because the hostas don't look great. The weather has been perfect for them all season and although the slugs and snails are out in force now, keeping good company with black weevils, the hostas look super and are growing as fast as the jewel weed. I expect that with the prediction of warmer weather by tomorrow afternoon and through the weekend, the hostas, super saturated with water, will be unable to maintain their vascular system and will droop and cry for a few days. This is not uncommon when there is lots of rain but the behavior causes a flurry of questions from concerned hosta growers.

If you have not visited our hosta gardens or traveled the walk through the +180 varieties we still have for sale, get in the car and head out this weekend. It's worth the trip. And by the way, if you have questions about growing great hostas, fire off a few questions. Often the answers you receive help others with the same question. Good gardeners are like barred owls--they are always listening!

The peonies have about faded into seed production and I have to get some kid busy pruning off the seed pods so the strength goes to the roots, not seeds. I do not aspire to be a great peony hybridizer like Alan Rogers or Don Hollingsworth although I have studied a bit of their work. Those very talented, dedicated folks can deal with creating new peonies for us.



We had a great year with the peonies and although people seem reluctant to part with the cost of a good potted root, some come back each year to add to their collection while some just come to see the bloom. Ours were exceptions and will only get better.


I always leave folks with a couple tidbits of info and I'll repeat myself here for newcomers to The Vermont Gardener. Peonies must be planted not more and 1.5 to 2 inches below the surface. Planting the roots deeper will bring on some good foliage but limited or no bloom. They are hungry plants so plant them well to begin with and feed them again in the spring. And finally, in mid-August in the years when New England is not involved internationally in The Great Monsoon Contest, water your peonies well. Peonies set buds on the rootstock for the following year at this time and water encourages good bud development. The way things have been going here in Marshfield, we'll likely have a bumper crop of scapes next year. Watch your weather, water in mid-August in New England, earlier in other peony areas, and you'll note the difference.


With this last picture of the night, Topeka Garnet, I'll say good evening to all. Despite the rain we have a beautiful weekend projected. Today started Daylily Days at the farm and with that comes more of Gail's baked treats, and an incredible display of hundreds of daylilies, potted or for sale from the gardens. The weather has been kind to the daylilies and the plants are robust and waiting for a new home.

If you do stop by, consider helping Gail with a raffle she is sponsoring to benefit a fall conference on transition for young adult Vermonters with autism. This is a topic that is dear to Gail and me
and your help would be most appreciated. The winner will be announced on Labor Day for a $100 gift certificate for shopping here at VFF. If you can't stop by but want to help, send in your name, phone number and $$ and Gail will take care of the rest. One in every 150 newborns is diagnosed on the autism spectrum so we all really need to get involved.


From the mountain above Peacham Pond where hard rain pounds the roof and the critters outside hold up, patiently awaiting a chance for dinner.

Best gardening wishes,

George Africa
http://vermontflowerfarm.com
http://vermontgardens.blogspot.com

Flattened Poppies

Saturday, July 7, 2007

A foggy, damp morning here at Vermont Flower Farm. The sun is pulling its way above the mountain and showing some sign of hope for a brighter day. There was another half inch of rain last night and once again we have been spared the hail storms that have frequented the surrounding area. We are at 1530 feet elevation here and the hail has come within 200 feet several times now.

I just came in from my morning walk, wonder-dogless this morning as Karl snores away in the bedroom with Gail. We had company for a couple days and there were several little kids with high pitched voices and random movements that irritated a dog that prefers his domain to be in his control. It tires him. I haven't walked without my friend for a while and noticed that the walk is quicker and quieter when I don't have to remind the professional sniffer that he is that it's time to move on. Change is good.



There are a few earlier blooming plants which have started their decline and deserve some discussion. I'm talking about plants that draw lots of attention because of their color, quality and profusion of bloom. These same plants decline towards the end of their bloom and just don't look attractive. The problem is just a suggestion that you more carefully site the plants so you can enjoy their beauty but not have to relive the fallen foliage.

The blue bachelors button that is a perennial has a great blue that catches people's attention. Gardeners love the color blue and when they see this one in its glory they want it. This perennial comes in a rosy color too. As the blooms are about 80% spent the plant is tired and succumbs to fungus which discolors the foliage. If you cut the plants back to 4", they will spurt regrowth and bloom again in August. If you don't do anything, you'll have a hole in your garden and a messy looking affair that you'll walk by quickly when giving garden tours. We don't sell it but I have seen Gail give away a few clumps this year, asking only for a promise that the giftee won't tell where they got it and won't hold the gift against her when it declines.

Another plant is the Oriental Poppy. The poppy hybridizers of the world have come up with some great colors but have never "fixed" the fact that as the flowers fade, the foliage flattens with the rain from the plant's center on out. This creates a bushel basket sized hole in the garden that can't easily be replaced.

Here at VFF we postpone the inevitable as long as possible and then trim the plants to 4" and grab a large pot of something or other and fill in the hole. That's easier for us to do because we have so many pots but it can become a chore for the average gardener. The pinks, roses and ruby reds are very nice too and I expect the hybridizers will keep working on new colors but will continue to fail on making a sturdier plant.

As poppies go to seed, a beautiful seed head develops. Each contains thousands of seeds and it's best to remove these so the "hole-in-the-garden" problem doesn't grow larger from year to year. We cut the heads, wrap a rubber band around them and hang them upside down to dry. They make nice additions to fall flower baskets.

The final plant I'll include here is the red baneberry. This is not a common plant or one you'll typically find at garden centers because it's a wild flower. In Vermont we have white, pink and red baneberries and the red has great clusters of shiny red berries right now. As soon as the plant matures and the berries ripen, the plant moves quickly to dormancy. With the red baneberry that means the berries drop to the ground and the leaves blacken and shrivel all in a little over a week's time.

When I planted the lower hosta and shade garden I left all the native plants in place. By now the baneberries have grown in numbers and in a few weeks they will become unsightly and people will frequently ask "what happened here?" In the meantime they will beg me to dig more than the twenty I put up for sale this year and despite my answer they will repeat their questions as if I'll change my mind. People who do this are usually new visitors and they don't know me yet.

The lesson then is that whatever plant you purchase or bring home from a friend's garden, think about it's life cycle and plant accordingly. Some parts of good gardening require that little extra piece of thought to go with the good planting job. In the end, everyone is happier.

Now it's time to sound revelly and get ready for a busy day. Karl will be the easiest to get going. He stretches but he doesn't protest. Others who live here will.

With damp gardening thoughts and dry wishes for a great day,

George Africa
http://vermontflowerfarm.com/
http://vermontgardens.blogspot.com/

Independence Day Wishes

July 4, 2007

59 degrees here at Vermont Flower Farm. The sun is bright and there is a quietness that is pleasant and deserved after last evening's fireworks at Peacham Pond. The property owners seem to muster up quite a display every year that starts before the 4th and seems to lag on for days until the next holiday arrives. Some years there are more "holidays" than others.

Karl the wonder dog and I headed out early to check the gardens for intruders and enjoy the peace that prevails until Roger puts out the morning papers at the Marshfield General Store. People know when the papers make their way to the rack on the porch and the cars start heading for town, with Stan F. always leading the way. Stan always drives a reasonable speed but others have to rush everywhere they go and appear to enjoy making clouds of dust.

The gardens were absent of deer tracks and that was nice to see. I sprayed the hostas with Tree Guard last night as many of them are coming into bloom and it's very difficult for me to hybridize without the flowers. Deer like hostas and they really like to eat the flowers. There must be some kind of sweetness there that translates to "deer candy" as the flowers are the first to go. For whatever reason, no deer last night.

As we worked our way back up the steps by the road, Stan returned from town with his paper. He stopped and rolled down the car window and wished me a Happy 4th. I was glad he stopped because he is an authority on loons and I had a loon question. I told him about spotting an older male in the back cove. It seemed to come and go but spent a lot of time there. I wondered if it was protecting a female still on a nest. That theory made no sense this late but I wanted to ask.

Stan replied that the chicks are hatched and factually one new mother went by yesterday with two new family members. Stan said as long as a loon is diving it's probably fine. When they lose oil in their feathers, buoyancy becomes a problem and so does life. The big loon appears free of any fishing line or sinkers and does in fact leave the cove to dive and feed so I guess it's fine. There are many people like Stan around. If you have a question, there's someone close by who has the answer. That's nice!

Just before the first of July every year, some large allium Gail bought me years ago begin to bloom. I don't remember the name now but they are large globes of color, the size of grapefruits and upon inspection they look like 4th of July fireworks going off. They are great flowers because they last a long time and even as then begin to form little green seed pods, the drying flower heads are attractive. The plant industry is mass producing these now and there are many purple hybrids out there. They are fairly inexpensive and worthy of your garden.

As Karl and I slowly moved up the steps, a chipmunk or red squirrel must have run between the hostas and Karl and me. He about pulled my shoulder out of joint as he acted more like a Ford Interceptor police car, in his appointed role of garden warden. I won't mention the hosta leaves that are now permanently rearranged.



As I stopped to catch my breath and rub my arm, I noticed how nice the red baneberries look The red berried plants are first to color up, then the pink and a bit later the white. The white are known as doll's eyes from the days of good kid's dolls and small glass or porcelain eyes. It was really too bright to snap a picture but here is an idea how nice they look until late July-early August dormancy. For the perimeter of a woodland garden, they are special and will draw attention and comments from many. I hope I can remember to take some good pictures this week as I always want to use them on a holiday card but have yet to get that "perfect" shot.


Time to get going here. Many chores before customers begin to arrive. The weatherman has been cautious about today so I expect that people will be out and about early today. I have to be out there too. Enjoy your family and friends but never forget what independence is and what it means to live in America. For me the final step is independence in a state as beautiful as Vermont.

Independent gardening wishes,

George Africa
The Vermont Gardener

http://vermontflowerfarm.com
http://vermontgardens.blogspot.com

Foggy Morn

Tuesday, July 3, 2007

A foggy morning here at Vermont Flower Farm. The temperature is already up to 54 degrees. Last evening's rains, limited but wet, and a declining temperature, created some dense fog which only now is being cut apart by bright sun rays from above. A beautiful day is promised.

Hosta Days continues here and if you haven't come by, you're missing our hosta gardens in their prime. There are a few holes here and there from black weevils but except for a few of the thin leaved, light-colored hostas that insects go after, everything looks great.

We've had hundreds of visitors to the lower hosta garden so far and all the comments have been positive. Even the little kid who handed over a collection of plant signs was so positive I was only half bothered by having to put them back. One couple who are hosta enthusiasts said it was the best garden they have seen this year. It is a truly peaceful garden and has it's own strengths but if you look around, you'll find many other great hosta gardens. Some of the finest are collectors gardens and not publicized although the owners are always happy to give tours--you just have to find them first. They are real garden treasures just like our Hosta 'Garden Treasure' pictured next.


So if you have a few minutes in the next few days, stop by and come walk with us. The hosta gardens are beautiful and just sitting for a minute listening to the red eyed vireos will make you ask why you haven't stopped before.


Our website is not up to date on the hostas we have available for sale. We are close to 200 varieties potted and ready to go which is less than half what we have for you to see. Excuse us for short days and too much to do and just stop by and see for yourself that hostas and Vermont go well together.



From the mountain above Peacham Pond where I am heading in a few minutes with patience and two cameras. I think I know where a loon is nesting and I hope with some camouflage and a pair of binoculars I can find the nest. Distance and silence are included in my backpack. Be well!

George Africa
http://vermontflowerfarm.com
http://vermontgardens.blogspot.com

Lilies, Oh My Lilies!

Sunday, June 24, 2007

A great morning here at Vermont Flower Farm and a good day to get out and visit nurseries in your area. Flowers are popping right and left and even though we have had some strong winds and hard rains of late, things look great. Today's weather is much improved over yesterday. I spent ten hours on the tractor on our new property on Route 2 and I'll be heading back there in a few minutes. Yesterday was one of those "coat on, coat off" days. The 42 degrees at 5 AM took a long time to get to 60 and every time the cloud cover moved in, we were back to wind and low fifties.

Karl the wonder dog and I made our 5 AM walk this morning and were bothered that a young deer, only one, decided to visit the lower hosta garden for a late night/early morning snack. Two hostas I really like were on the menu: Rascal and Alex Summers. A few others such as Inniswood and Revolution lost a leaf or two.

I tracked the deer through the peony garden and into the back field. It spent some time finding a piece of fence that looked like it had a big enough space to scoot under. As soon as the fawns are able to run with their moms, the deer head to our hosta heaven and try to find leaves that I haven't sprayed with TreeGuard. It's a great product but not worth much when it's still in the jug. I have been too busy to spray but that has to happen by nightfall. Hostas turn into "deer lettuce" this time of year and you have to keep the deer from thinking it's the best eating crop available.

Before I head out of here I want to ask that you go out today and check all your lilium. If you know Gail and me, you know that we have grown tens of thousands of lilium over the years. We have dozens of customers who have better collections than we ever had because they purchased and cared for new bulbs from Vermont Flower Farm. The current problem is a big one so please listen and look well.

As our climate changes, our lands our invaded by more and more insect life from afar. In 1992, a very destructive, small red beetle, the lily leaf beetle, Lilioceris lilii, entered the east coast at Boston. This picture from the University of Rhode Island isn't the greatest but try http://bugguide.net for some other pictures.

Our insect communication was not all that good because the beetle actually entered Montreal in the mid forties, fifty years before we might have shared that information. It immediately began its migration south and east. The various lily listservs I subscribe to have now documented the bug in all parts of the US east of the Rockies and now through Nova Scotia.

The reason I am mentioning this beetle today is that the beetles were visible three weeks ago and by now, the first set of eggs have no doubt hatched and the larvae should be obvious if you haven't taken any counter measures. Here's a larvae picture I took last year.


If you do not eliminate the beetles and the larvae by either hand picking or some chemical or organic means, this is what your stem of lilies looks like in short order.


So the question is "Control". The research funded by the North American Lily Society resulted in a recommendation of a parasitic wasp. That's fine but it's questionable if the wasp will live in Vermont and similar climates and production never even started. The second recommendation was Neem oil spray. This works well, is very expensive and has to be reapplied several times. A friend of ours in Burlington has been using dormant oil spray for years and even though he lives in a well established pocket of lily beetles, he has never had a problem.

I followed friend David's suggestion and went one step further and bought a light weight dormant oil with a built in fungicide and miticide. Remember, this stuff is made for fruit trees and people in the industry only know it as being used for that. I sprayed early after seeing a few beetles which I presumed probably had already layed some eggs. To date there has not been any hatch and if there was, the oil prevented the eggs from developing. Is this accurate? I think so, but we have lots of gardens and I only sprayed the lilies I saw on the first passing. To continue with the study, I have sprayed gardens of two friends. One is a half mile from here and one is 3.5 miles from here. One had noticed beetles, one had not. Neither has larvae yet. I also gave some oil to a friend in Morrisville and it appears to be working there too.

Please do some careful inspection today and if you find beetles, please let me know. Sevin has been recommended but that is a spray which kills the good bugs and beetles too and I am a butterfly man so I'm reluctant to get carried away with that stuff. A friend in White River said the price just went up as the announcement of the beetles ran in the local paper. Similar stories abound. A month ago, another friend asked the Dept of Ag to comment and they kind of did a "what beetle?" response. That would not be the case today. So-o-o-o if you want some good looking lilies like this Uchida (below) do a through inspection and formulate a control plan today.

And since this picture just came through from http://bugguide.net print it off and put it on the fridge. With luck, it will be the only one you'll see. Unfortunately, I fear for the worse as I think this beetle is here to stay.



Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond where a trailer of canoes and kayaks just went by--probably heading out on the water to check on the loon population. As for me, I heading into the garden and then out onto the tractor. Enjoy your gardens, stop by for a visit! Ask us a garden question!

George Africa

http://vermontflowerfarm.com

Have you checked http://vermontgardens.blogspot.com
lately????

The Fan Gardener

Thursday, June 21, 2007

Almost 9 PM already. I just interrupted my computer time to run outside to the upper drive to move my truck down to our drive for the night. I have to be out of here by 5 tomorrow morning and since it may be raining, I want the shortest route from the house. The sky is black and there is thunder over towards Montpelier. The television has one of those "searching for satellite" messages so we know there's a big storm nearby.

During the past week the gardens have opened with color and one by one, customers and visitors have made their way to Vermont Flower Farm to see things they have never seen before. I could probably write a book about our meetings with fellow gardeners and if I did, Gail would be the center of all the conversations turned to stories.

Gail is one of those people who can't ever tell me if we have any money left in the checkbook but she can tell customers what they bought 4 years ago on a Wednesday and what color they need to complement a garden. I have never understood this skill but it comes in handy when folks stop by for advice on planning a wedding or a reunion and they want Gail to provide a weather prediction for a specific weekend. She's about on target all the time.

Gail also has a way to drag out information from people she has only met five minutes earlier. She doesn't need any of those interrogation skills you see on television crime shows as she has a natural way of making people feel immediately comfortable so they spill out things you can't even believe. She usually comes away with a complete family tree, doctors, medications, shoe size, college attendence, number of cows milked, horses boarded and what type chickens they keep. If the person is a bread baker she'll come away knowing the type of baking powder used and whether they use lard or some type of margarine, and if so, which brand. The list goes on. Yesterday was a perfect example.


A couple arrived from up St Johnsbury way. They were first time visitors. The lady looked around and the man, recently retired, struck up a conversation with the "interrogator". One thing led to another and in just minutes the man offered Gail a VCR and/or a record player, both fully functional and only being retired from his homestead because his kids convinced him DVD players worked better. Gail apparently gave some thought to the record player because she has a stack of Bob Dylan records in the cellar that people would cry for. There are also some great Wayland Jennings and Bonnie Raitt, similarly collecting dust.


Very much unlike Gail, she turned down the offers to which the man asked if she'd be interested in 3 perfectly good window fans. Now I don't know if it was the humidity of the day or Gail's marketing prowess but she accepted the fans gratis and the man and his wife drove away with some nice flowers. Within two hours, Gail had those three fans farmed out to people in need of cooler homes. Reminded me of the year she saw a kid without a good winter coat and she decided to start a clothes drive so kids would be warm. I knew it was working when one year a guy stopped me at the store and asked if Gail had any coats for his kids. That's Gail--a gardener with a diversity of people skills.


One flower Gail really enjoys is peonies. We have rows in the upper garden and maybe 135-50 in a lower garden nursery. I have them all labeled and they have been growing for three or more years now so they have reached good size. They started bloooming a couple-three weeks ago and are well budded now. The way the rain is now pounding on the roof, it's questionable how many will be flat on the ground when morning arrives. That would just translate to bouquets for sale. At any rate we have a small collection that's big enough to stop a peony novice or encourage a new gardener to get growing.


It's amazing to me to look at a row of peonies in bud and then work my way down to a single bud. These Felix Crouse look great in a row in bloom but look equally stunning in a large vase with some oversized hosta leaves for accent. To me there is something special about looking at a bud that's just "showing color" and then the next day finding a beautiful flower.

Peonies can be cut in the bud stage when they are just showing color and then wrapped in newspaper or a loose plastic bag and placed in the bottom of the fridge. They'll last there for about a month and then with a fresh cut and a vase full of water they'll open up to everyone's surprise. The only real problem with peonies is that everyone wants them year 'round and their season is limited. If you don't have any peonies yet, Gail has some nice pots for about $25. Some are in bud, some will bloom next year. Whether you buy one or not, we'll tell you some secrets to growing good peonies.


From the mountain above Peacham Pond where loud thunder means the same as "goodnight folks".

With good gardening wishes,

George Africa
http://vermontflowerfarm.com
http://vermontgardens.blogspot.com

Two Friends

Saturday, June 16, 2007

Yesterday was a busy day at Vermont Flower Farm. Gail was here by herself as it was my turn to take Alex to an appointment which would take up more than half the day. Things are busy out and about anyway with high school graduations and parties and weddings and reunions. Everyone is busy and it's best to be cautious wherever you travel as many folks have just too much on their minds.

Gail and I juggle many things this time of year as well as the gardens. I work full time away from here, often in a different part of Vermont every day. That part is fun but traveling different distances makes for an uneven schedule and some days tend to be long ones. Yesterday was fun because I was with Alex, getting through an appointment and then doing something that was special to him. He has a lot of challenges and when we are together I try to devote my attention to everything that he wants to accomplish.

As we returned home there were customers in the gardens, cars parked here and there and Gail was not immediately visible. When I approached the back steps with an armload of groceries, I could see her in the kitchen in front of a tall pile of dishes, plunger in hand working on a clogged sink drain. It didn't look like it had been going that well so I encouraged her to head out to the customers as I unloaded the truck and tried to solve the great plugged drain mystery.

Gail and I are two friends, good friends, friends of over twenty five years. We are married, are parents, share a house, raise a son, run a nursery and care for a 90 year old mother in law up the road. We are good friends, gardening friends, working friends. We share all the good and all the bad as good friends should.

In fairly short order the truck was unloaded, Alex was settled back into his "at home" routine, the drain was unplugged, the customers were smiling and I had a chance to pour a couple iced teas and go out side and get Gail to sit and rest for a minute. It had been a long day but we are good friends and we know these days will come and come again.

The iced tea was refreshing and just not moving for a minute calmed our thoughts. The gardens look great because two gardening friends work hard at making them that way. They aren't meticulously clean and weed-free but they are well built and nicely stocked with fairly common plants of interest to all.

As the glasses of tea emptied, I suggested we walk down to the peony nursery and see what has started to bloom.Walking the gardens is always nicer with a gardening friend as each of us notices and shares other things. Good gardening friends do that.

The peony nursery looks great thanks to Michelle's strong effort the other day. It's easier to walk the rows now and count the buds and see the flowers. P. 'Henry Bockstoce' has just started. It's a deep red that I love to look at. P. 'Dad' is opening in time for Father's Day. We don't have any left to sell and that's a problem but it's a nice peony and it's nice to know it is timed so perfectly. P. 'Crusader' is well flowered and easy to spot. It already has missing stems which have made their way into vases here in the house. The fernleaf P. smouthii is down to two buds but this week's heat slowed them and I doubt they will open this year. It is our first peony to bloom and it was glorious two weeks ago. P. 'Festiva Maxima' is bursting open everywhere with big blooms. P 'Paula Fay' just opened and is a great peony, but don't expect nice fragrance from it. There are thousands of buds on the other peonies and if we receive a little rain in the next couple days, they will be even more glorious.

When we finished with the peonies we walked up through the field. The daylily nursery is overgrown with dandelions and an assortment of other weeds but that will get tackled this week. Gail noticed a bright orangy-yellow daylily, quite prominent even mixed in with the weeds. It was a gift three years ago from our friends Harold and Leila. It didn't come with a name, it just came as an extra early daylily with a pleasing color and a catchy fragrance. I split up the clump and now there are perhaps 15 good plants. I'll have to take some pictures and then consult my A.B. Stout book and figure out the name. Everything has a name or two. Gail and I are "good friends".


Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond where the hummingbirds make great employees, up early and working industriously while others just think about rising. If you are out and about today and not busy with a big event, stop by Vermont Flower Farm and say hello. Your gardening friends will be here to meet you!

With good garden wishes,

George Africa
http://vermontflowerfarm.com
http://vermontgardens.blogspot.com

Japanese Primroses Abound

Sunday, June 10, 2007

Almost 7 AM here on the mountain. 60 degrees but the morning has that stillness and heavy air that makes it feel like rain is on the way. The sun has only shown itself briefly and the clouds are thick. I've been up and outside since 4:30 and it hasn't changed too much since then.

Got going early because I wanted to bring the tractor home from the new property. Lacking a trailer yet, I drove down early yesterday morning before 5 AM so the traffic was down to fisherman. Today I reversed the route and drove home. It's all uphill so the trip was another 15 minutes longer in mid-range. I saw the same two doe deer as yesterday, four turkeys crossing in front of me and one still very sleepy eyed jogger with a dog that limped. Interesting morning.

The gardens are really popping with color just a couple weeks before the official start of summer. The Siberian iris are starting, lemon lilies as species daylilies and in various hybrid variations, poppies, tall beared iris and primroses are really beautiful now.

Several years ago a lady gardener stopped and wanted to know if I wanted to trade some Oriental lilies for some Japanese primroses. I agreed and a few days later she showed with a small box of primroses and a desire for more lilies in trade than even a generous gardener would agree to. Nonetheless the trade was agreed upon. I planted the small plants in what I thought was a good location within the lower foundation garden. As time progressed I cut out a couple more small trees and limbed another and the primroses received slightly more sunlight and looked better and better.

These are a beautiful spring plant which naturalize very well. They enjoy a soil which holds some moisture and a location which has about three hours of good sunlight each day. This spring I have noticed plants as far as 80 feet from the original grouping. They have seeded well and made an impressive mass. I dug out about 20 on the perimeter for Gail to sell and last night she was down to three so I guess their popularity extends beyond my interest.



If you get a chance to stop by Vermont Flower Farm in the enxt few days, walk down the walkway by the mailboxes and take a right. The primroses are in the back corner of the hosta garden. You can't miss them.


From the mountain above Peacham Pond where Gail is mumbling to herself as she picks up a trash bag of household trash--again. Last night she left a bag by the back door and this morning it was down towards the mailboxes. A local bear is less than neighborly and as bears do well, (s)he carried the bag a distance before tearing it open to look for a snack. This spring I found one of last year's suet sacks about 400 yards into the woods and up the hill towards the road. Bears are everywhere and they take advantage of people's forgetfulness.

Rain or shine, try to get into the garden today. You'll feel happy that you did!

Gardening wishes,

George Africa
http://vermontflowerfarm.com
http://vermontgardens.blogspot.com

Spring Rains, Lush Ferns

Thursday, June 7, 2007

Almost 9 PM. Gail and I just came in from walking Karl the wonder dog, down to the peony nursery to see what is budding up. The P. smouthii has already bloomed out three flowers and Gail missed every one. There are a couple left to come and perhaps half a dozen that appear to have been bothered by the temperature changes and the dampness. I pointed out the very tall, well buddded 'Top Brass' which should be exceptional this year. We have about 150 different peonies but some are scattered here and there and for some reason they all don't seem to get on our list.

When we move to our new location I want to bring along all the peonies and plant them around the perimeter. Peonies are great plants which are receiving plenty of publicity in garden and wedding magazines. This means that Vermont Flower Farm receives many calls this time of year from ladies planning wedding flowers. We don't sell flowers in quantity and only have a few peonies potted for sale but people find us on the Internet and give us a try.

The frequent rains have enhanced this year's crop of ferns. When I built the lower hosta garden I left all the native plants in place including the ferns. I don't know their names but they grow tall and lush and really accent the hostas and other shade plants. The Christmas and Ostrich ferns are looking very good too.


We have grown ferns from plugs before and I wouldn't do it again without a greenhouse. The little ferns can't be over watered or they'll die and the larger ferns can't dry out or they'll pass on. The in between plants look beautiful and everyone wants them. We just sold the last of our Maindenhair ferns which I think we started about three years ago. It was a losing proposition but the folks that bought them for $10 a piece got a bargain, especially at the end. I've never seen anyone who wasn't positive about those ferns.


Gardeners haven't all had an opportunity to see the latest of the painted ferns which have been released by Terra Nova and other nurseries. They are just spectacular and deserve more attention. My favorite has been Silver Falls named after the great waterfall in Oregon. I tried to get to the falls last summer when I visited out there but time was short. I have to remember the image of the special plant I have as one enters the lower hosta garden. If you visit and we aren't around to point it out, it's on the left when you turn the first corner.

A. 'Silver Falls' is a great fern which doesn't show it's real beauty until the beginning of July. It is about three weeks later than native ferns breaking ground and then it is pale green for several weeks before the bronze and red begin to develop. This picture shows that early stage and is a long way from the colors that will make you want to buy more than one. I really don't like to point out favorites and then tell people to keep looking because we don't have any to sell. Popularity keeps numbers low and keeps us sold out.

Give some ferns a try this year. Try to learn to identify some of those which are native to your area and then consider some of those I have mentioned. You'll not be disappointed.


From the mountain above Peacham Pond where Karl is snoring and the cool temperatures of the evening have quelled the accoustical performance I have grown accustomed to. As frogs sleep, I think I will too.


Gardening wishes,

George Africa
http://vermontflowerfarm.com
http://vermontgardens.blogspot.com

Tuesday, June 5, 2007

Evening greetings from Vermont Flower Farm. 59 degrees with the temperature dropping and thunder in the distance getting louder. I'll be signing off as quickly as I just signed on. To keep this brief and safe, I just want to mention that the spring rains and good temperatures have brought along the hostas in all their glory. I worked on the gardens all weekend and although they are not finished, many more are planted than were there last week, the deer fence is 3/4's installed and if you're within driving distance, you should make the trip soon. The hostas are in perfect form although some are still unfurling.

The picture above is the lower garden entrance within the old foundation. The picture below shows an update from this weekend of the steps I built a few years ago. There are 63 different hostas planted along the stone steps which lead from the upper drive down into the garden. The total collection is heading towards 500 varieties but many are planted in multiples in various locations so the actual count is many times greater. Gail reports we have over 200 varieties for sale this year but I've been too busy to count. Right now I have to scoot. Thunder and lightning are poor mixes with computers and wiring.

Gardening wishes from the mountain above Peacham Pond where the evening frog chorus starts and stops with each thunderous blast from the heavens. Come visit soon!

George Africa
http://vermontflowerfarm.com
http://vermontgardens.blogspot.com

Late Spring Flowers

Sunday, June 3, 2007

Good morning from Vermont Flower Farm! Wet and foggy but the rain has subsided for a bit and we made it through last evening's storm without any damage. It's 52 degrees out right now and that's 30 degrees cooler than it was as the thunderstorm approached last night. Gail and Alex went to East Montpelier to meet a friend and then planned to go to Barre for the latest Pirates of the Caribbean sequel. She called about 6:30 in fear that we were also in the midst of a bad storm as the electricity was knocked out in Barre, and East Montpelier had the hardest rain and hail storm Gail had ever seen. Luckily for us the storm's fury went some place else and we got by with rain. Two years ago in late July we weren't as lucky and a hail storm shredded the hostas just when they were in their glory. We spent the rest of the summer explaining what had happened to about everyone who visited. Weather patterns are changing and beautiful gardens can be decimated in minutes.

This is a great time for a walk in the garden because so much color is springing forth. Karl the wonder dog and I have already been out and it seems like every wild animal decided they'd get a better breakfast today to compensate for lost time with last evening's wet meal. We did not see a bear but scared a moose, saw two deer and one jack rabbit so that's not bad for a half hour walk out back. Gail saw a bruiser bear last night coming home from Barre. It was crossing the road in the middle of Plainfield as if it owned the town. Just another reminder that bears are everywhere and with cubs they can be a problem. Use care!

Karl was dripping wet and his tail looked skinny after the walk. I grabbed a towel and when he got done shaking I tried to dry him a little more. I knew he'd probably go back to bed as he often does after a morning walk but if I'm not watching, he makes my bed, his bed and I didn't want a dirty, wet bed. Dog's are not always man's best friend. After the walk I go about gardening but Karl refuses to follow suit.

The bleeding hearts are in full bloom now, both the common type and the ever blooming types. This one by the fence is Dicentra spectabilis. It's easy to grow, can be divided in the spring and it makes a super cut flower which too few people use in arrangements. If you want to divide an older plant, do it in the spring. Do some bending-stretching exercises first because they have a tremendous root system. Have a sharp knife ready too.

I don't have a picture this morning of Dicentra formosa 'Luxuriant' but they are in full bloom here too. These bloom several times during the summer and at 12"-15" tall they make a great border plant and look well integrated with woodland plants on tree line perimeters. I have planted some inside the woodland but they really need more sun to do well. One 'alba' planted below the mailboxes on the steps leading to the lower hosta garden has grown so fast this season that I have pulled clumps of it away several times to maintain the visibility of the adjacent hostas. If you visit, you won't be able to avoid finding it.

If you visit us over the next couple days the flowers along your route will be obvious. It's not just the bleeding hearts that are in bloom but the trollius, lupines in the fields, perennial bachelor's buttons, various crab apples and of course the lilacs in all colors. I always equate the first bloom of the lilacs with the hatch of the tiger swallow tail butterflies. The butterflies are in abundance this week. If I was really an entomologist, I'd be happy today because Gail left the back door light on when she came home last night and we have a collection of bugs on the side of the house that's a collectors dream.


Time to get going as the first customers will be here before I know it. I want to pick a nice bouquet of bleeding heart, ferns and trollius for the table. A couple lilacs for fragrance and I'll have a nice start to a better day.

Be well and stop by if you have a minute. If that's not possible, try the 06 Virtual Tour at http:/vermontflowerfarm.com

From the mountain above Peacham Pond were loons have fish for breakfast and a group of naturalists and a trailer of kayaks just passed by. They will meet in half an hour but neither loons nor people know that.

Damp gardening wishes,

George Africa
http://vermontgardens.blogspot.com

Rununculus Favorites

Sunday, May 27, 2007

Sunday morning, overcast, 59 degrees and heavy with pre-rain humidity. I wish the sun would get moving here and brighten things up but it will obviously be a slow start this morning. It must be that kind of day because I had a time getting Karl the wonder dog to get out of bed and go for a morning walk with me. He did so with great reluctance and when we returned to the house, he went right back to sleep like everyone else around here. A dog's life isn't bad.

I have a lot to get accomplished today but wanted to mention that the trollius are popping and worth looking for if you stop by. This plant is a member of Rununculus and you might know the background from the buttercups that grow wild in Vermont. Gail has liked them for years and has had a number of varieties which sell so well she never gets many in the ground so she can display them.

The plant will take full sun but fares best with a tad of shade and a soil that maintains some moisture. Once established there is a long bloom period. If you do not let the plant go to seed it will bloom again, but less heavily, long about Labor Day time.


Trollius look best when planted in groups of three or more and I have seen mass plantings which are really special. This is a very good cut flower which will last quite a while if cut when the buds have first shown good color and are still tight. It is a good contrast with the first fern leaf peonies but it is so ice you shouldn't have trouble matching it up with other garden favorites.


Colors range from pale, almost creamy-white yellow to dark orange and everything in between. This plant is not used as much as it should be. One look and I'll bet you agree.

From the mountain above Peacham Pond where something is apparently hatching in the lower field as three crows are peck, peck pecking at last night's newly mowed grass.

Good gardening wishes'

George Africa
http://vermontflowerfarm.com
http://vermontgardens.blogspot.com

Yellow Transparent Tales

Saturday, May 26, 2007

A beautiful day here at Vermont Flower Farm with a clear sky and bright sun that already has pushed the temperature to 78.3. The humidity does not set well with me knowing what has to be accomplished today but summer in Vermont is short and we have no choice but to acccept each day.

I keep rubbing my eyes hoping that they'll adjust to lack of sleep and the long list of things which absolutely have to happen today. Our daylily friends from Morrisville were here for dinner last night and our conversations on until 11 made a long day lead to a short night's sleep. We might still be talking save for Karl, the wonderdog's disruptive barking at what was probably directed at Mr or Mrs Bear coming through the back woods to check out the gas grill.

Bears are being seen with more and more frequency and I have heard three different stories of encounters this very week. Black bears are a fun animal to see if you have never seen one but caution is critical. These are not friendly cirtters like the ones emulated at Vermont Teddy Bear Company in Shelburne. Many Vermonters have never even seen one before but as a whole the bear population is increasing and the chance of seeing one has become more likely. There is less hunting and more disruptions to their habitat .........and just plain more bears. Multiple births have been common in recent years and that translates to more bears per square mile and more bears in your back yard, even if you live in a Vermont country town or city.

I have to say that they adapt too well to domestic life and a free meal only entices them to come and stay. They carry a little automated address book and enter every place that good food can be found. They refer to it often and return time and again to dine. Trouble is they have a bit of arrogance to them and want us to think they are in control of everything. Anything that has big teeth and claws, lots of hair, a musky odor and weighs more than me (wow!) can control what it pleases.

Speaking of arrogance, Gail reminds me often that I occasionaly display a lack of respect for others in this family by doing things head strong that make no sense. The yellow transparent apple out front is an example. Today it is in full bloom and covered with bumble bees and flower bees. Sadly, there isn't a honey bee to be found. If even half the blossoms turn to apples by summer, the tree will probably fall over. Right now it is an interesting sense factory of sound, fragrance and picture to be enjoyed by all.

Three years ago now the tree was in serious shape. If you leaned against it, it headed south. Although it was over 15 years old, the previous owner had put aluminun foil around the base to discourage mice and voles from winter meals of apple cambium. Not! The foil offered a place for insects and the tree was diseased and had a very limited vascular network that was keeping it alive.

One day Gail and Alex were gone and I decided to "save" the tree or eliminate it and be done with the problem. I put the ladder up towards the top and as I climbed, the tree began to move away from each careful step. For some reason, an internal need to become a bonsai artist kicked in and I began to trim each limb into a Dr. Suess type tree that resembled an absurdly clipped poodle. When I finshed the tree was still weak and the ground was deep in prunings.

When Gail and Alex returned that went from "Hi, what kind of day did you have?" to "What are you, some kind of nut?" all in a blink. They didn't care for my pruning. I could tell by Alex's face that he was thinking one of those "Friends don't let friends prune trees." thoughts but it was over and there was no way except by film that you could turn back the event.

Today the tree is strong and it really needs another pruning. By taking off so much excess, the tree apparently established a renewed root system and it's as strong as an ox now. It no longer looks like a Dr. Suess tree although I rather liked it that way. Customers can't stop by now and ask "What exactly is that thing?" and Gail and Alex are relieved. Admittedly Alex likes to see me grovel in past defeat and he is compelled at times to relive the story for visitors. Without having been here, you have no idea what I did. If you taste a good applesauce with these apples and a couple macs, the events of the past fade.

The thermometer in front of me now reads 88.1. It's rising quickly and I have to get going here. Some of the gardens still need to be cleaned up but the place is shaping up and it deserves a visit soon. The hostas should unfurl today and I expect the first trollius will bloom by Monday. If you're out and about this weekend, stop by. As you pull into the drive, look ahead and to the right of the walk to the house. Nice apple tree!



From the mountain above Peacham Pond where a love struck partridge continues for how many days I can't remember to drum away. He is obviously either unsuccessful finding a mate or he has been so successful that he continues with the very same technique. To me it sounds like the old John Deere Model B 2 banger tractor getting started. Stop by and I'll share the sound with you.

Gardening wishes,

George Africa
http://vermontflowerfarm.com
http://vermontgardens.blogspot.com