Evening Walk

Monday, August 11, 2008

I closed up shop this afternoon at 5 as it was feeling more and more like rain again. Gail and Alex had left some time earlier to go to Montpelier for the evening and I knew it would be me and Karl taking home the trash and getting things settled at the house for the night. Despite the weather which just will not turn good for more than a few hours, the nursery looks great and daylilies continue to bloom.

Each morning, Gail picks 30-40 blossoms and puts them on a table in small, water-filled jelly jars with the name, height and price. This serves as a nice display and makes it easier for folks to make a choice and send one of us to the garden to dig a nice clump. At close of business they still look too nice to dump but evening chores includes dumping the flowers and water and washing down the table for the next day. Clean and tidy sells in any business!

I got home and was just getting squared away and Liz came a knocking with a belated birthday present for Gail as well as a gift for taking care of their beagle while they were away for the weekend. Liz is a good neighbor, not because she brings gifts but because she cares about people and is always willing to help. She helps take care of Gail's mother and is always available to help. We talked for a few minutes and then she headed home to make supper and I headed out to the compost pile with Karl to dump a load of weeds and spent daylily heads. I picked Karl three handfuls of wild blueberries. This has become a ritual for him but it will soon end as the wild turkeys are eating the berries all day long and the crop is growing thin.

When we returned home, I grabbed the camera for a few quick shots while Karl waited in the truck, sitting straight and tall and acting like a guard dog instead of a house dog. The lilies have been quite nice this year even though some have become faded from the pollen running down the petals. A wasp was holding tight to a nice Orienpet lily as if to protect himself from the rain drops. The bee that checks all bees incoming to the nest at the end of the day will be missing one tonight.

I walked up along the path and was surprised how nice everything looked even though the gardens are unkept and full of weeds. Gail and I have been at the nursery every day since the snow began to melt so the gardens around our home have taken on a new appearance best viewed from a distance. As I walked along, I came upon a clump of 'Chicago Apache' daylilies which is about two weeks ahead of itself this year. I don't know if it has been the excess rain or lower or higher temperatures but bloom time is clearly different this year.

The Crocosmia 'Lucifer' are striking this year and are like a magnet to hummingbirds. 'South Seas', a favorite coral daylily, has passed on but 'So Lovely' has begun to bloom. It's tall and dusted and very nice. 'Lusty Leland', another red we sell a lot of, peers down from the back display area and the last few 'Missouri Beauty' keep it company. Along the edge, 'Grape Velvet', one of the finest purples out there, sports 8 blooms and dozens of buds while a row of 'Mini Pearl'

with shiny foliage seem to bloom forever. Two favorites, 'Wayside Green Lamp' and 'Witch Hazel' are in the garden with the tall 'Chicago Rosy', 'Alice in Wonderland', and 'Siloam Amazing Grace'. These all need to be moved to the nursery but it will be some time yet as Austin moved three truckloads last week that have to get planted first.

There's lots going on at Vermont Flower Farm. As depressing as the constant rain has been, people arrive each day and share stories and offer words of encouragement. Our friends have had the opportunity to drive down Route 2 and watch our progress and they know well how much work we have done to get to where we are. People tell us they come back because the quality of our product is exceptional, our knowledge of the plant world is special and we always demonstrate that we care about the person we're speaking with. Gail and I have always been that way....and always will.


From the mountain above Peacham Pond where nightfall comes too early even if you're tired like me.

George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
Vermont Flower Farm
Vermont Gardens

Stones and Superbums

August 7, 2008

It's a wet night here on the hill as it is everywhere in Vermont. The rains just keep coming and coming as more and more roads and fields and riverbanks get washed away. Tonight's local news was just a repeat of last night's and it represented the same scene around the state today as dump trucks of all colors carried thousands of tons of stone to repair missing roads. I do not know the total rainfall but was told we received 3.7" in the past two days in this area.

Gail continues to sell flowers at the nursery despite the rain. There is no doubt that we would be doing much better if we could give away some free sunshine with every new plant but apparently that's something we'll have to do next year. The forecast for the next several days is for more of the same.

Maintaining a happy face is difficult when every pair of boots I own is wet and muddy in and out. I returned from my regular job tonight in time for the news and then went down to view the Lilium superbums in the lower garden. Two years ago they were the harbinger of bad tidings when I returned from Portland, Oregon to find the lily leaf beetle for the first time. This year they look splendid with only minor holes here and there. The constant rain is shortening their opportunity to please me but their numbers are so great this year that I don't care. Single plants are obvious here and there, the work of chipmunks lacking good planting guides.

Lilium superbum are tall lilies after a few years and these were eight feet in places before they headed back to earth due to heavy rains and gravity. They are a wall of fire, a standout growing tall behind the granite standing stones I first "planted" in the summer of 2000.

Many folks enjoy Lilium canadense but frankly the superbums grow faster and easier and seem more catchy to me. Not everyone has a place to plant tall plants but as one who enjoys the extremes of garden architecture, plant them I must! Right now Karl the wonder dog is pleading to go chase a cat and I need a little walk myself.


From the mountain above Peacham Pond where Gail just returned from a walk with a blossom from the double flowered daylily, flore-pleno, reminding me that I have promised two customers to bring some down to the nursery to sell.

Wet garden wishes,

George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
Vermont Flower Farm
Vermont Gardens

August Colors

Sunday, August 3, 2008

Already heading for 8 PM here on the hill and I'm finding it difficult to get ready for tomorrow. Sat down to read mail and get off a little something at Vermont Gardens and I remembered that both pairs of glasses were sitting on the window ledge at the nursery. Four miles is a long reach when you can't read without your glasses. Karl the wonder dog and I headed down and it was apparently enjoyable for him as he got to bark at 5 different deer and one young turkey that should have been on roost by now.

Back here I just began to settle in and Gail presented me with three envelopes of checks that have to be processed for the bank. Apparently it's my turn to do this and I don't remember. We add the names and addresses to our data base which we use for mailing out notices about special events, overstocks, and that kind of thing. It's important data but not something you really want to do at the end of the day. I'll get to that a little later.

I made a quick tour tonight of the gardens here on Peacham Pond Road. Yes, they have not received any attention this year but they contain surprises along the way. Along the fence are some very tall Lilium superbum. They are in the eight foot range and they were obviously planted by chipmunks some time ago. Rodents love the starchy sugars of lily bulbs and as they scatter scale pieces about and store some for winter snacks, they are really planting future flowers. Rodent memories are apparently about as good as mine at times as this spring we have a collection of misplaced looking lilies that neither Gail nor I planted. This is obvious down in the lower hosta garden where lilies are out of place but actually quite strong and interesting. I suspect the work of chipmunks as that area is more popular with them than the red squirrels which work up closer to the driveway.


As Karl and I walked along the sandbox, prominent with untouched metal Tonka trucks from days gone by, I noticed a very old Asiatic lily which was like meeting an old friend. This was something we carried at least 8 years ago--probably closer to 12. It was not the strongest lily back then and it had some bad traits including an affinity to botrytis greater than usual and a habit of picking up tulip breaking virus at the blink of an eye. These must have come back from scales that were dormant for years as I just cannot remember how far back these go. I do remember that people used to call them tiger lilies like the old orange lancifoliums and that drove me nuts.

As I continued along, a phlox caught my eye, pushing away Sweet Annie and other improper weeds which have gotten more and more carried away by our brief absence. The phlox is a strong signal of what we will have in a couple more years at the nursery where Gail intends to build a substantial collection of various varieties. I am just beginning to learn the names of what we stock this year but I do know we already sold the last Starfire today and the Tenor, a less bright red, is going fast too.

Older gardeners and New England gardeners like phlox even though they remember the mildew problems of the older varieties. I was told one time that if you plant phlox within other perennials, the mildew will be less of a problem and the individual plants will stay very strong. That may be true but I like big swaths of color. If any of you are successful with phlox and have any pointers or written resources, we'd all be very appreciative I am sure.

Adjacent to the phlox but very much unplanned were groupings of pink hollyhocks which add nice contrast to the phlox. Again this was probably part of the rodents seed relocation project, an annual event which precedes winter. Regardless of the "how did they get there?" it's a fact that they match nicely.

I keep eyeing the pile of checks and guess I better end here. I hope the buckets of rain haven'
t bothered your drive for a handsome garden. If you can't stand the rain, get in the car and get up to see Gail. She always has a new idea and a new surprise color to consider.

Good garden wishes,

George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
Vermont Flower Farm
Vermont Gardens

Blueberry Coffee Cake

Monday, July 28, 2008

75 degrees and a quiet evening here on the mountain. The ruby throats are working overtime on the red monarda (bee balm) and now at about 7:30, the hummingbird moths are coming out of hiding to provide some company. Karl the wonder dog and I just returned from the compost pile out back and in a few minutes we'll have to find some supper. Gail and Alex are in Montpelier for the evening so we are on our own.

While out back, Karl and I feasted on wild blueberries. There is a great crop this year which means the bumble bees, the chief pollinators of this fruit, were able to avoid rain showers and do their work in late spring.

My first dog was an Irish Setter. Her name was Rusty which showed the lack of creative genius that prevailed when I was five. She was a great dog save for a propensity to try to eat porcupines and she loved berries. She would tickle the branches with her long tongue and stand for great periods of time eating berries. Bear, my Walker Hound, and Barney, my Beagle-Walker, also loved blueberries and raspberries but they used the side approach with shorter tongues and shorter legs. Baker, our Pug, was too short and round to approach the branches so he sniffed for fallen fruit and begged for hand picked quantities which he loved.

I am a berry picker with great skill. Part of that came from the need to survive at an early age. Our family were hunters and gatherers and I can't tell all the stories until I check with the fish and game statute of limitations. I can pick anything and can fill more buckets than most. Wild blueberries is the most taxing however, as the branches are at best 25" above the ground and most are only 10".

Every year on select weekends at the nursery, Gail prepares blueberry coffee cake for weekend guests. This is a super cake and many demand the recipe. Some are even bothersome about asking for the recipe and hint that an occasional, fully prepared cake would be much better than the recipe itself. Since I have been neglectful in my recent promises to write it again, here it is as my closing thought for tonight. I'm very tired and just wish I had a couple pieces and a glass of milk right now

Blueberry Coffee Cake

2 c. flour
1 c. sugar
1/2 c. butter
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tbsp baking powder
1 c. milk
1 1/2 c. blueberries
1 tsp salt
2 eggs well beaten

Topping:
1/3 c. each brown and white sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 chopped walnuts
1 tbsp melted butter

Combine the dry ingredients, cut in the butter. Make a well in the center and add milk, eggs, vanilla. Stir until moist. Fold in blueberries. Pour in 13 X 9 pan. Combine the topping ingredients and sprinkle on top. Bake at 350 for about 25 minutes.

As I have written about this recipe in the past, there is a problem with it. A 13 X 9 pan is insufficient to satisfy many people because it is so tasty that nobody can stop after a piece or two. I even know of a man who has regularly driven from a camp in the hills above Groton Village to secure a piece or two on a Saturday morning. That's a distance of about 15 miles each way. Guess that explains how great it is. Share the recipe freely and make friends happy!

From the mountain above Peacham Pond where Blogger refuses to accept pictures tonight and where Karl is barking at something I better inspect.

Good gardening wishes!

George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
Vermont Gardens
Vermont Flower Farm

PS: Gail's bare root daylily sale continues. She'll probably even mail you some if you call her. She is making me a bit grouchy as she is selling off tons of Susan Elizabeth and today I found Atlanta Lucky Piece in the pile. When did you find Atlanta Lucky Piece in your daylily collection last?

Heavy Rains, Bright Thoughts

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

This is the July for us to remember. The first July at our new location, the first in many which presented so many challenges, so many expenses and so many new and hidden responsibilities. One by one we have solved the mysteries and moved on to the next. Sometimes you have helpers and sometimes you do not.

This morning the rain started an instant replay of two days ago when over 4 inches fell. I just checked the weather and there's a chance that today and tonight will exceed that amount. It begins to get a little scary when the rains fall out of the sky so hard that the daylilies seem to float on the beds. This is one problem no one can fix. We have become good at predicting the weather but not good at changing it.

I was in Burlington today when the rain crossed Lake Champlain and nailed the city hard. It was not the day to have forgotten an umbrella and a raincoat. I headed back to Waterbury and then went to Morrisville where the rain was equally as strong but the area was cloudier due to elevation and temperature. As I passed farmers fields, I felt badly for them too, as getting off this year's hay crops has been difficult. In many places, large round bales sit in water, fields are furrowed with the deep water tracks of tractors and farm implements, and some machines are buried in mud waiting for a drier day. I stopped along the way and picked up three lemon squares for Gail to sweeten up her day.

As I approached our nursery, the daylilies cheered me up as did one car leaving and one entering. Gardeners are used to heavy rain and some purposefully go out in it on sojourns destined to accumulate more plants to add to their gardens.

Gail was a muddy mess as only she can become. Her boots were caked clay almost to the top and her knees were painted in brown clay and grass. Her light blue-green raincoat was a bit of a disaster and it was obvious where she had wiped her hands. She smiled as I approached, happy to tell of a surprising number of customers. I presented the lemon squares and put on some boots to check things out for myself.

If you cannot get over to our new nursery for a visit, try to enjoy the pictures that accompany this blog and Vermont Gardens. With almost nonexistent exception, the pictures I share are of plants that are available for sale. If you see a flower you like and cannot find it on our Vermont Flower Farm site, drop us an email and we'll confirm availability, price and shipping.

Despite the rains and the squo-woosh, squo-woosh as you walk, the blooms look beautiful and provide a nice show for vehicles passing by on Route 2. There are thousands of blooms and lots of good looking plants. Here are some pictures I took last night before the rain.


This first one is Joylene Nicole, a plant that Leila Cross brought to Gail as a gift way back when. Gail likes it a bunch as it has a special meaning beyond being a gift from Leila. It also has meaning relative to a gardening friend and customer who passed away a couple years back. The scapes are close to the base but the ruffles compensate for anything else you can find that you don't care for.



Jeune Tom is a daylily Gail found last year at one of her suppliers. I like the flower size and the tall scape. It can be mixed, odd-even in a row with daylilies of similar stature such as Miss Amelia. It's strong and the straight up scape makes it a good choice for a one-day flower arrangement.


Corky is a favorite of mine. I like the brownish purple scape color and the profusion of small flowers which remind me of the origin of many daylilies. Those who are interested in older daylilies have to have this one in their collection.


Chorus Line is a very nice 3.25" flower. The green throat accents the coral pink and makes it more desirous. In a large mass, it is very special. We have only sold 2-3 but I think over time it will catch on.

Bella Lugosi (below) is a daylily which Alex picked out years ago when he was preparing a stockpile of good plants of hybridize with. He was 8-9-10--somewhere in there--when he began to show interest in hybridizing. That lasted one season and was destroyed when someone pulled off all the protective foil he had placed on his crosses. Just the same, Bella and the other 20 odd he bought have all been excellent sellers for us.


Rooten Tooten Red is an Oakes daylily if I recall. It does better in less sun than we have it planted in. The flowers are nicely rounded and the throats draw your attention. A large group follows in a few years and makes all the difference.


Little Pumpkin Face (below) is one of those daylilies with tall scapes and lots of flowers. This one is sharing the stage now with Little Dandy, Little Women and my favorite, Little Skipper.



It's too difficult to think of over 60,000 registered daylilies on the market. It's great fun though to see as many different daylilies as you can, and begin to incorporate them in your gardens. If you get a chance, drive out to Vermont Flower Farm (or drive up, drive down, drive over...) We'd love to meet you and express how we feel about all the flowers we grow.

Good gardening from the mountain above Peacham Pond.

George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
Vermont Gardens

Some Don't Like Orange

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Here it is, already past 9 PM and I'm still trying to finish up something I started last night. Gail and Alex were away for the entire day and early evening and I worked at the nursery until almost eight. When I returned home, Karl the wonder dog made it very clear that he had been neglected so I let him ride shotgun as we drove out to the compost pile to unload a truckload of weeds and spent daylily flowers.

When we returned to the house, I opened and closed the refrigerator and freezer doors several times trying to figure out what would comprise dinner for me and Karl. In the end I gave Karl a scoop of dog food and I opened a box of Hoods New England Sherbet. The photo above shows what was inside the box. The flash against the box reflected but the orange sherbet in the middle served as testimony to the fact that some around here don't like orange. I do. I ate the balance of the sherbet but during the process I was reminded about customers comments about yellows and oranges. Gardeners either cannot get enough of them or there are already too many in the world and I have to listen to this being relived.

There are lots of nice oranges and you have to see them close-up to enjoy their beauty. There are probably more yellow and orange daylilies than any other color--just a guess. We have a large number so I'll share a few and you can make up your mind. The first is My Reggae Tiger, a good bloomer here with a nice bud count. Sometimes I think they go by too quickly.

Next is Rocket City, with strong ribs that define the petals. The color in this photo isn't that great because of it being a late shot.


Mauna Loa has an edge with a slight contrast as it ages through the day and a ruffle I like.

Kwanso (below) is common in ditches that abound in New England. I have enjoyed them for some time and have taken to collecting them. They seem to sell faster than I can collect them but that seems fair. Here I have them planted with some purple echinacea.

Bertie Ferris is a little orange which blooms very well and grows fast. I have been surprised this year with how many we have sold. The smaller size makes it a great border plant.

The next one is really more gold than orange. It is a nice mix but remains unnamed. It was part of a collection from Gilbert Wild many moons ago and I'd buy a hundred tomorrow if I could because it's four feet tall and has great substance. Here on the mountain I have it planted adjacent to an old bird house that's now completely covered with one of Alex's grape vines, an exercise in vineyard management that never got past vine number two.


Leebea Orange Crush is another that sells well for us. It seems slow this year but that's probably because the plant size is less than other available daylilies. I like the edge and the eyezone.



Orange Vols (that's right, Tennessee!) has been offered here for some time and has a great bud count and grows to 36". I have always liked it although some customers look at the name and stumble around for a while. All gardeners are not sports enthusiasts!


There really are tons of oranges out there and they deserve respect. They mix very well with a variety of companion plants and hold well in strong sunlight--something we haven't had much of lately.

If you come for a nursery visit, take a walk and compare these and other orange flowered daylilies. I'll bet you'll want to try some!


Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond where a neighbor has seen a strange cat, tawny yellow, three feet long with a long tail. I remember when we were building the house here in 1989, a contractor mentioned that his brother had once seen a pair of cougars in early winter as they crossed frozen Lake Groton. Maybe, just maybe, there is a story here!

Come visit!

George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
Vermont Flower Farm: our commercial website
Vermont Gardens: a blog about growing a relocated business

Candles of the Fields: Lilium canadense

Thursday, July 10, 2008

A beautiful morning here on the hill. The night time temp of 52 is already up to 71 but the air is fresh and clear after several days of high humidity. Now we have a day's respite before things revert to the high 80s. Karl the wonder dog is barking at a neighbor's cat but that's the only disruption to a beautiful day.

I'm heading out to Barton and St Johnsbury in a few minutes and Gail will head to the nursery and prepare for another day. If you get a chance, stop by and say hello. Each day more and more new customers appear and established customers find us and return. Yesterday three ladies from the Lyndonville-St Johnsbury area made their twice annual summertime visit. They have a list of stops at small nurseries and ours is always on the tour. They have lunch at some point at Rainbow Sweets in the village and always arrive with stories of where they have been and what has transpired. They are excellent gardeners and the combinations of their purchases support how fine their work must look. Too bad we couldn't take pictures of all Vermont's fine gardens and publish a book for those who can't travel to see such fine displays.

Before I shove off here I want to suggest you cast your eyes to the fields adjacent to Vermont's open fields that border streams, rivers and swamps. The native Lilium canadense are in bloom now and they are a special lily. I have taken thousands of pictures over the years and admire the variation. There was a time when I grew a few from seed I collected in late summer. The canadense are easy to grow but patience is a must. I may give some a try again this fall as they need to freeze-thaw-freeze-thaw to germinate well. The first leaves that emerge make you wonder if you'll ever seee a flower but by the fourth year you're well under way to a beautiful flower. Absolutely no picking or digging from the wild please!

If you live in this section of Vermont along the Winooski River, you'll find the canadense among the various ferns that grow in the moist soils. Always use care when walking along the rivers as the accumulation of debris from various floods lays unseen traps that can find the flower hunter belly up, looking skyward and checking for broken body parts. I know, as I have been there!



On a final note, keep your eyes open to the variations of the canadense. Here's a picture of a red that I hunted for years for. The spotting is also with great variation and makes for an interesting assignment. Don't confuse the spots on the lily flower with the spots of the Checkerspot Butterfly, a small butterfly that is a perfect example of camouflage as it frequents the canadense.

Guess I better get going here. I'm already dragging and the day has barely started. Operating a nursery and working a real job takes its toll.

From the mountain above Peacham Pond where a pileated woodpecker pounds bugs out of the yield sign by the mailboxes and Karl is already snoring his way to slumberland.

Warm garden wishes,

George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
http://vermontflowerfarm.com
http://vermontgardens.blogspot.com

Tuesday Daylilies

Tuesday, July 8, 2008

Daylily friends began to visit today. They started arriving in our gardens last week and are in abundance now, encouraged to open in the +90 degree heat that has the inside of the house still 77 degrees with doors and windows shut all day. Vermont's summer is all too short and we should not complain.

Creepy Crawler(above) has a toothed edge which is interesting but Citrina always brings my attention with its clear, pale yellow and catching fragrance. It is well over three feet tall this year and will probably reach four before end of season.

Chicago Knockout as with most all the Chicago series is strong and welcome in the garden. Visitors don't always know the series but today as they saw Chicago Sunrise I made enough trips with the shovel back to the field to dig more. The field grown plants are large and much welcomed by gardeners and gift seekers but that two hundred foot walk from the end of the row back up the hill in humid weather is a bit much.

Beth Barth (below) is one of five Barth daylilies we have. Right now I can only remember Pemaquid Light and Alna's Pride but there are two more here. They are thick and strong and hold tight even in the high winds and hard rains of the past three days.
Beloved Country is popular and with reason. It's an older daylily by today's standards but we like it. I sold three today so it really is still in favor.

Barbara Mitchell, Anne Warner and Along the Way kept company with dozens of other daylilies in our gardens along the Winooski River. I walked around looking at them before I closed the place down for the night. It was a relaxing walk after a very hot day.



Michelle and Austin finished the last of the ditch for the electric line from our building to the river where the new shallow well pump will bring a 1" line of water to the crest of the hill. The closer they came to the building, the thicker and stickier the clay became. It's one of those "you have to see it" things as the clay sticks to you shoes and clothes and tools like nature's verison of Gorilla Glue. Tomorrow I'll put a wooden pallet down close to the river, tack on a sheet of plywood and then build an enclosure for the pump. When that's finished, I can call the electrician and get the final wiring done. What a relief that will be to have water without having to fill a tank with gas and wrestle the 20 feet of hose in and out of the river.

If you are out and about, stop by the "new" Vermont Flower Farm. Daylily season is in full swing and Gail is planning some kind of event this weekend. Minor but eventful. I suspect she will be cooking her blueberry coffee cake for those who missed it last year.

Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond where one very tired gardener wishes all his gardening friends good summer greetings. Stop by and share a story, tell a tale, describe a strange bug, show off a new plant. We'll be waiting!

George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
Vermont Flower Farm
Vermont Gardens

Persistent Peonies

Sunday, June 29, 2008

A breezy morning here on the hill. It has rained on and off all night and this morning's 59 degrees is supposed to climb until the next front arrives with thunderstorms and bad times. The gardens look lush but the sales have been down due to weather and gas prices. Just the same we have met a lot of new customers and our loyal following continues to appear, carrying rain gear and umbrellas and wearing warm greetings and encouragement for a successful new nursery. We'll take all the good thoughts we can get!

The peonies have been great this year. Part of it is that I watered them well last August when they were setting buds for this year. That's a mid-August thing here and something I really recommend because the pay off is so great. Gail has been picking peonies to sell in bunches of 6 or 7 for $9.50 and they have been moving well. Some days there are some left and the last customer gets quite a deal but mostly it has been consistent sales with the preponderance made as people scoot home after work.

Our supply of potted peonies is now down to under a dozen and the selection is slim. Mrs Margaret Truman, a nice double pink prevails, but there are a couple Festiva Maxima and a couple Adolphe Rousseau. They have been potted since last year and well cared for so they are a buy at $25. Most are six or more stems so folks should be happy with what they receive.

As is typical in peony season, we receive many inquiries about why the foliage is nice but the flowers never bloom in home gardens. The answer is in the planting as these are a plant which must be planted shallow and not more than 2" deep. Over time the lawnmower or falling leaves sometimes packs around the stems and the flowers just don't develop. Bend down there and clean out around the stem and water well for this year and you'll be back on target for next year. Oh yes, ...sun. They need sun and that too will make a difference.

Well I have to get going here. I have a couple loads of Hosta 'June' to take down as that has been selling very well. Amber Tiara and Golden Scepter, small, luminescent springtime beauties are about gone so I have to do some repotting so they will be set in well in a week. I hear Gail clinking the coffee pot so that means the day is under way and we'll be back into the flower business by 9 AM on Route 2. If you have some time, please stop by.


Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond where I hear the ravens in the distant red pines as a lone hen turkey struts slowly through the lower daylily garden, looking for food in the fresh dugs holes left from our daylily relocation program.

George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
Vermont Flower Farm Our website, old but packed with good buys!
Vermont Gardens Our other site about our new nursery and other thoughts of gardening

Assorted Astilbes That Amaze

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

A quiet morning here on the hill where even the birds appear waterlogged after days of rain. Nothing seems to be moving save for the raucous ravens in the distance who seem to disturb mornings as if it is written in their job description. I can smell the fresh coffee which means that Gail will be in here in a minute with a replacement for the remainder of last evening's leftover. Gail cannot start the day without fresh coffee so I usually play cleanup.

The regular rains have really changed how the plants are looking this year and it's worth a ride to our new Route 2 location just to see how things are improving. The astilbes were originally housed under a very nice 80 foot shade house which took flight a week and a half ago when a giant storm passed through. The house was completely destroyed in a storm that made me think I was entering Oz. But between the rain and the average temperature, the astilbes have flourished and they are excellent. The pictures here are not fresh as they are now just setting buds now but I expect many will begin to open today. The pictures will give an idea of the colors and maybe encourage you to think about them more. If you check our website
you'll get to read a little piece I wrote about astilbes and see some of what we offer. The grossly outdated astilbe section is lacking another dozen-fifteen varieties Gail added in the past couple years but just the same you'll get the idea here. I'm starting with Amethyst above.

The whites and cream variations are very nice and I am surprised I don't see more of them used in wedding and anniversary floral work. They are easy to pick and ship and with sturdy stems they hold well in displays and arrangements. Deutchland and Weisse Gloria are a couple more not pictured here in company with Bridal Veil which I like.

Europa (above) and Sister Theresa (not pictured) make the move away from white and have value for contrast. There is the airy, open look and then the tighter flowers which work very well as fillers and background stems in arrangements. Within the garden they add a texture and a height variation which makes a rolling display much more complete.

Glow is sometimes sold as Glut and I guess that just represents another of the challenges in the flower world where the same plant is registered with different names. This situation is far different than the phony mail order places that say they are wholesalers who buy in masses of plants and put their own made-up names on to confuse the public and make it difficult for people like me to explain to gardeners that "No, we do not have Pink Weeping Raindrops, but we do sell Strassenfeder, an ostrich plume type astilbe I really like."

Astilbes can be planted individually or in mass plantings. This pink Hyacinth astilbe is a favorite of many as it puts out lots of scapes in time and flows nicely in the wind. The only problem I have is the name as I always have to think and insure I don't confuse my "hyacinths" and my "hyacinthias"
Kreimhelde (above) and Lolypop (below) have interesting coloration in the stems which adds to the garden and arrangements. The foliage variation in astilbes is one of their strengths and adds to garden opportunities.

Years back a great astilbe was released named Visions. We could never get enough of it. Then Vision in Red and Vision in Pink (above) were released. The tight bud count and long lasting flower period offer just what the gardener ordered.

It's 6:30 am now and one of our new astilbes is named 'Rise and Shine'. I've been up for a couple hours already but for some, it will take a blast of an alarm clock to actuate the day. Good garden wishes for a pleasant gardening day!


From the mountain above Peacham Pond where Karl the wonder dog just finished a morning walk with Gail and our gardening day has begun. If you don't have astilbes included in your garden yet, check out Vermont Flower Farm and place an order soon. At our new nursery, Gail has planted great swaths of the various astilbes we sell in a garden which parallels Route 2. She began planting the taller varieties near the road and worked them out over 75 feet towards the daylily display beds. In a couple weeks the ribbon of color will be special. Come see!


George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
Vermont Flower Farm:A website with useful info
Vermont Gardens

Busy In Marshfield

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Day stretchers would be a popular product but they just aren't available. Working full time and helping Gail move our nursery to a new location leaves little time at the end of the day. Most days now I only get as far as what thoughts to share on The Vermont Gardener and Vermont Gardens

Please accept my apology and scoot over to The Vermont Gardener for today's post on growing extra crops for the hungry. This reminder is more important this year than ever before. You can play a great part in only minutes so don't put it off as you can make a difference.

In the world of flowers at Vermont Flower Farm, the peonies are glorious, the astilbes are just beginning, and 6 different daylilies are already in bloom. The perennial bachelors buttons are as blue as can be, the poppies are exiting the garden after last night's rain, and the trollius continue to bloom in places I don't remember planting them.

As you survey your gardens, look carefully for wild parsnip and giant hogweed, two very bad and noxious weeds which have the affect of poison ivy on many. A lady told me the other day how much she enjoyed watching kids pick Queen Anne's Lace to give to friends and parents. I recommend great caution with kids because sometimes white and lacy is not safe. Give it some thought and start the summer with family and friends not dealing with a terrible, uncomfortable rash and infection.


From the mountain above Peacham Pond where Gail just said "Let's go there!" Kinda like a farmer with a team of work horses, eager to start the day. Do I get breakfast first?

George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
Growing great flowers for sale in person or on the web at vermontflowerfarm.com

Colorful Mornings, Noisy Ravens

June 18, 2008

52 degrees here on the hill. The sun has come up quickly above Peacham Pond and the ravens are apparently hosting a breakfast convention as they are noisy this morning as if protecting their young from an intruder. Perhaps they have just found a lazy owl and are practicing harrassment techniques. I yelled at them twice but decided to save my breath as they are intent on what they are saying.

Mid-June in Vermont has flowers coming and flowers going. I wish I had taken more pictures of the Japanese primroses this year as they were special. They are easy to grow and they naturalize well in short order. Raking the gardens in the fall moves errant seeds to new locations and the color spreads over time.

The trollius are about 85% passed now and the hellebores have of course formed fat seed pods with all the rain. Gardeners up this way don't seem to be too familiar with this flower and should use it more as coupled with some early pulmonarias it gives the hummingbirds food when they arrive here about May 8-9-10.

The tall bearded iris are coming along nicely and some of the Siberian iris are starting. Gail loves Double Delight and also Caesars Brother, which looks striking when paired with lemon lilies--the old, nocturnal, fragrant, slowest-of-all-to grow daylilies. There is a beautiful planting of this combination on Route 2 at the entrance to Goddard College in Plainfield. It just went by this week but is something to keep in mind for next year.

Poppies are in abundance and we enjoy them until they finish blooming at which time they become a problem. Dozens of people ask for poppies every year and 95% of those folks do not know what a mature poppy after a rain storm or after bloom time looks like. I should get out and take some close ups of some as they are very neat flowers (remember Georgia O'Keefs painting of the orange ones? If you cut a bud when the outer casing has just cracked and color is showing and you hold a match to the cut stem to sear it, they make a beautiful cut flower. Just make yourself toss them out when they begin to droop or you'll have a table full of black pollen.

Besides the lemon lilies, Lemon Lollypop, Eeenie Weenie and Bitsy or out for daylilies. There are probably others but I haven't really looked yet. The five foot tall thalictrums with fluffy lavender blooms are quite showy and worth the price for what they lend in color and texture to gardens this time of year.

Here on the hill the James MacFarland and Miss Kim lilacs are butterfly magnets and Miss Kim can be the location for a night time training session in entomology. The flowers have a fine fragrance which lures anything with wings, especially at night.

The list goes on but there's nothing like a garden walk in mid June when you know the snows won't return for some time and while you wish the deer flies, black flies and no-see-ums would go away and never come back. Speaking of going, I have to get to the nursery and get going.


From the mountain above Peacham Pond where be have closed our nursery and continue the move to Route 2, on the western edge of Marshfield village. Come visit, and give us some encouragement to keep gardening, even in tough times. If you can't make it, try our website and order something you cannot find elsewhere. The site is old but the products are excellent.


good garden wishes.......

George Africa
The appropriately biased "Vermont Gardener"

Vermont Flower Farm
Vermont Gardens