Omoshiro

Quite alright, Etelka! Thank you for the lovely compliments.

I started gardening under the guidance of a neighbor, Pauline Isabelle Reid Loeffler, and her initials spell my name of pirl. That was in 1968 and back then we didn't have large properties in the neighborhood - everyone just had 60 x 100. It was fine since I was raising my two children so time in the garden was limited. As they grew my gardens expanded.

In 1991 Jack and I moved 80 miles east, here on Long Island, and now we have 30 gardens and I have lots of time to devote to the gardens in summer and lots of time to look at plants in catalogs and online in the winter. Each year I seem to buy fewer plants and delete more and more plants. I have extensive collections of clematis, hydrangeas, Japanese irises, daylilies and we have a vegetable garden along with a separate asparagus garden.

We have very few neighbors out here that have gardens. They usually just have basic foundation plantings and not too much of anything special.

We have been on the Southold Historical Society Garden Tour both times they've held it, in 1998 and 2005, and people did pay the society for tickets!

Here's a view of part of the back yard and gardens.

Lovely tribute to your mentor. I was wondering how about your avatar. Thanks for sharing.

Thanks, banana. I loved Mrs. Loeffler like a mother and she was only two years younger than my own mother who died just three years after I moved into that house. In the end Mrs. Loeffler died at 102+ and I gave the eulogy because her son, her only child, had a stroke the night before her service.

Born and raised in Albemarle, North Carolina, she married a New Yorker and was sure she was the only bride who ever spent her honeymoon in Hicksville, New York, and she was likely right! She always retained her Southern accent and was such a lovely person. On our first garden tour I dedicated the gardens to her. She wrote a note, after I told her about it, and said: I shed a tear. Too sweet!

I still have the irises, yarrow and other plants she gave me so long ago.

What a suprise, my daughter in law is from that area and my son with the two kids live on the water in Camden county NC.She wanted to learn how to grow flowers, so every Spring I drive there, it is 8 h of drive for me, and we plan out the flowers. She is getting better, but after few months the watering is kind of not there. My son is in the Coast Guard, and they used to live in Mobile Al, she had nice garden there, but the climate is better there. I hope she will continue gardening, it is so pritty there, they can fish of they porch. Maybe I will take her one of my clematis, I think she would like it. they want me to move there, but it is to much water for me and plus we are getting along better 450 away, because I told my sun I got old enough the speak my mind, and two women in one house is one to many. Plus, older I am I want to live in the area I know, somthing about not liking to get lost . I probobly would move back home to Novi Sad, Serbia before I move to NC. Maybe just for two years, my dream is to plant some vegetables and flowers in my dads old garden, only apricot and cherry trees on it now, the 100 bushes of roses are gone. I am sitting here just colord my hear and have 20 minutes to rinse. I think I saved a few hundred $ by doing my own hair. I am cheep that way, I rather by flowers.good night, sweet dreams. Etelka

I just looked it up on Google Maps and found Novi Sad and Danube Park. Do you still have a home there?

You are right about two women in one house being one too many women! They never seem to get along.

I do not like getting lost either but out here on Long Island there is very little chance of that since there are so few roads going east-west.

Flowers bring joy for a very long time so you are a wise woman to invest in them. Sweet dreams to you, Etelka.

I am back, I figured if I go to bed early will wake up at 3 and sometime I call my sister (they are 6 h ahead) then I go beck to bed at 6 . I left home strait out of H. School, lived in Vienna and came to the USA 1969. It was a big year. Never worked or owned a home but my dads Ranch he used to call it, my sister takes care of it. its about 150 x 150 feet, just enough to dig in it. I still have 2 sisters there and my brother lives in Baja, Hungary. Very nice old city on the Danube. We are Hungarians stuck in Serbia after the first WW. Novi Sad is a old town, but they demolished the homes and built some highrise condos, it is not the same town I left.But I could rent a 2 bedroom apt. for $250. and live on $600 a month very vell. It is probobly only a dream, what would I do with my house, to rent it it is a risk. Here in Augusta we have the Master turnament in April, does your husban plays golf? To brag about my cooking, I used to cook for Seve Ballasteros, the Spanish gofer, when he still was winning some money. It is a big deal here, this year I will only clean houses for eztra money, but next year I will be pool side somewhere. Money is not everything, I worked all my life, it is time to learn to say no to people.Thanks for listening. Etelka

What was Steve Ballasteros's favorite dish that you made for him?

Arlene - I had wondered about your avatar too. - I was going to ask you about it and never did - it is such a lovely story. I too had a very special person in my life and she actually is the one that started my journey into gardening so very many years ago when I was a small child.

Etelka - your story is very interesting and truly makes me appreciate some of the things that I have. It must have been hard at times living in Serbia, although I would love to see Hungary and the Danube. I too was wondering what you had cooked for Steve Ballasteros and what his favorite dish was that you made?

Carolyn - the "pirl" is such a minor tribute to Mrs. Loeffler that it's really our gardens that only begin to express the love I had for her. I'm so glad to learn you also had a very special person to help you start your journey into gardening. I was not exactly a small child but 27 years old at the time.

My wonderful cousin/Godmother and her husband took in refugees from Hungary in the mid 50's and helped them learn English and get established in this country.

Hi pirl and Carolyn, Just got home from church and was glad you wrote me, I was kinda emberesed to go on with my story lanst night, but sometime I do feel like talking to much. As you may know, Seve B. had 4 brain surgeries, I hope he is ok. In the early 90's I used to go four years in a row to the house he rented and help him and a wife out with housekeeping and cooking. They where very nice to me, always thank me for nice dinner, but they eat very plain foods, baked chicken or broiled snapper. Once I asked them if he liked lasagna, he did not know what that was.. Next day I made it and they liked it, so two days latter I had to make it one more time. Sorry to say, he left his wife with 3 kids, but after he got sick he was very sorry. Life is difficult, even if you have lots of money. I will probobly be baned from this site if I don't start talking about flowers. By the way, the blue Danube is not blue anymore, it is very poluted. About learning English, I am still under construction, you can have a good laugh about my spelling, but I would like to see you learn Hungarian, that is a language by itself, closest cousins are the Finns. If you go to Hungary, you would see that people have gardens and thet they do make sure it is full of flowers. Even on the balconies, you can see lots of flower pots. Where does a Hungarian cook eats on Sunday after church, we went to a Mexican restaurant. It is 65 F outside and I am going out to work on my campost pile, got some rabbit manure, it will be good for the garden. Etelka

Etelka

I loved your story and I look forward to more stories. I would love to see pictures of your garden when the time comes. What types of flowers are you planting?

I have ordered some zinnia, coleous, patunia, Agastache seeds and also ordered some plants 6 clematis, black and blue salvia, agastache , and my dads favorit strawflower seeds. I have to send you a picture of my "hot house seed grower". Because I cook for a church, sometime I get ready baked cream cakes. I keep the dome from the cake, and last year I tried to make hot houses from them. It worked, so this year I will use more of them, with light above them. I can put about 6 cups with seeds under them and it will act as a hothouse. I gues I am one of those pack-rats, but not as bad as a horder.

Hoarders do have their own set of problems, Etelka. I'm glad you're not one of the hoarders.

I'd love to see any photos you have of your gardens from previous years.

Carolyn and I write often about plants and we share a love for clematis.

Interesting kiseta! In highschool and college, I had many Hungarian friends. Their mom's made the best desserts. Anything with ground nuts is going to be a hit with me!
When I looked in my garage today , it made me think of the hoarders. Oh my! I need to get all that recycling out.

Hi pirl, I was just joking about hoarders, sometime I watch the show and I think my husband was one of them, now after he died, I have to go trough his tool shop and get rid of all the rusty stuff he kept. He was a good old boy, country guy, I think he was very poor as a child and as grown up held on to everything. About my pictures, I got some from last year, hope you like it.

here is my coleus bed, this year I will try to grow them from seed.

some of my million bells on the fence

Last, a picture of downtown Novi Sad in blume

Your petunias, coleus and million bells are so beautiful, Etelka, and Novi Sad and those tulips are just amazing. Thanks for the photos!

Would it be the Austrian influence that made nuts and nutty desserts Hungarian specialties?

No, it is the other way around. The Austrians took it from Hungarians a lots of our desserts and claim their own. When I lived in Vienna, I lived next to the Menner chocolate factory, it was nice to wake up to the smell of cocoa. I googled it and found the street I used to live on. It was nice because I already spoke good German, but my husband wanted to come here where the money was hanging of the trees. This is my first husband, he was killed in 1979, when my son was 6 years old. I should write a book.

Gorgeous photos!

Lovely home, too!

Holy Cow that is a lot of Tulips and pansy's.

I just ordered Omashiro, too. Thanks for (another) great tip, Arlene !
I hope it goes well with this climbing rose: Excellenz von Schubert

JD -

I think Omoshiro would be gorgeous with that rose. What a unique color for a rose. I really like it.

Excellenz!

Omoshiro will set the rose off beautifully!

pirl, I wish I can grow roses, I tried and after couple of years it had a lot of black spot. My yard is covered with this 100 year old water oak, and it is hard to grow flowers. You said I can grow my clematis over a white rose, I will see if I can find one and try it this year. Before I start planting, I have to pressure was my picket fence, it is turning green because of being uder the tree. I learned how to doit, so it is done every year. This was my Gypsy rose, since this picture I removed it.

Your Gypsy rose is gorgeous. I love roses but kill most of them, even the mini roses. What I don't kill get eaten by the deer. Maybe God is trying to tell me to grow more Japanese irises and clematises and just forget about roses.

Many people feel a white clematis won't show up on a white fence but consider all the green leaves on clematises and you'll see it will show up very well. Here's my montana Grandiflora - you can barely spot the fence it's on because it's so lush.

Pirl, nice picture of m. Grandiflora. I trimmed the clematis this weekend since the weather here was beautiful. I've got m. Maylene that did extremely well last year and almost took over the back porch. The much calmer Duchess of Albany, Firecracker, Jackmanii, Josephine, Comtesse de Bouchaud, and a NOID received a nice dressing of compost as well, thanks to the recemmondation about adding more soil to the crown of the plants We'll see what Spring brings.

How do you say Omoshiro? A clematis as beautiful as this has to be pronounced correctly.

Cem - the reason montana isn't Montana is because it's for the French word meaning monster. Mine is a monster! Anyhow, they will try and take over a fence, a porch or a house. They need to be tamed. Your clem's will love you for the extra compost.

I'd guess it would be pronounced o-mo-SHE-ro. A few of us just call it Omo. Do you have any idea as to the history of your town - for whom it was named? I only ask because my namesake, the real PIRL, was a Reid by birth.

Hi, I have started a new hobby, I google everybodys town and try to see where every gardener live. Pirl, every time I would here New York City, it is unbelivable how people live there. Last time I was in Europe, I came back trough Kennedy Airport, and I swore then I will never do that again.That is why I was suppriesed to see that your town is in L. Island it looks like a nice countryside. You are shure close to water all around you. Are you expecting snow, or just rain. I always make sure my gas grill is full of gas, here we get sometime freezing rain and the power goes out. Least you can have some grilled chicken.Today was nice and I planed out my place for the clematis, I have room for 5, so I will take one to NC where my son and his family lives.

you guys have to stop posting pics! Now I have to buy that rose for the Clem I ordered. There are 2 and half feet snow outside and another 10inches tonight thru tomorrow, but I can dream of spring here!

I just goodled Naugatuck and I am glad I moved to the south. I hope you are snowed in with a right person.I first set foot in Clevelad Ohio, I never been so cold in my life then there. I guess I just stay in Geogia, we are blessed with good wether. I think soon is Groundhog day, will see how long all this snow.

pirl Reidsville was named for Reuben Reid a gentleman who bought the property and started the town.

kiseta, my sister lives in Ga, outside Atlanta. Really likes the area, but too close to family! LOL.

dem2rd, it is 125 ml away and sometime they get snow when we don't , but in Augusta we like it that way. To all you people that are snowed in , I wish you where here. This should remind you of Spring.

Etelka - we are only 14 miles from the very tip of Long Island's North Fork point of Orient Point and the ferry that take us across to dem's Connecticut, then on to Cape Cod or Maine for vacations. We, here on our little peninsula, are surrounded by water and get a lot less snow than people may think.

Dem - we both have a terrible weather episode heading our way so ordering plants, or at least looking, is helpful.

Thank you, lblackwell, for the information. I don't know if Mrs. Loeffler would have been related to him or not, sadly.

One of my nieces also lives near Atlanta. It looks so good in your photos, Etelka!

Dem and I would likely be thrilled to have 50 degrees for a week.

I would love to be having 50 degrees too. We are getting the snow today and tomorrow we are supposed to get the freezing rain....