Morning folks, I'm trying to be really quiet and let these folks all sleep in. Have a couple of questions for you guys...do any of you have or grow Baptisia? and do any of you MidSouth forum folks have herb gardens. I know Terry has herbs because he helped me with ideas for mine - anybody else?
Family: Papilionaceae (puh-pil-ee-uh-NAY-see-ee) (Info)
Genus: Baptisia (bap-TIS-ee-uh) (Info)
Species: sphaerocarpa (sfay-ro-KAR-puh) (Info)
I keep reading in garden mags (articles by Felder Rushing and that other guy) that Baptisia is our Southern answer to Lupines and such but I can't find any! They are also "supposed" to be drought tolerant. I'm trying to rethink my plantings to accomodate the weather changes also am trying to establish a "wildflower meadow" and thought these would go well there. If any of you have seeds or divisions, let me know - please.
And about the herbs...I've been to the "herbs forum" but not too many folks from the South. Nurseries around my area keep telling me they don't carry them because the local folks don't grow them...no demand.
I'm having a withdrawal right now - kids live in a subdivision of M'boro and all yards look the same with "cookie-cutter" landscaping and postage stamp size yards. Reminded my DH yesterday that's why a lot of them choose to live here - very low yard maintenance. They are all so busy. The grandkids are begging us to move closer (like right down the street). I complain about my small little house at home but I'd rather have tiny house and lots and lots of yard than big home and no breathing room (Please - no offense meant to anyone) DH (Kirk) keeps saying that he thinks we will eventually have to move into an apartment (due to my health considerations).....can't imagine that...don't want to.....he'll have to take me kicking and screaming!!! Sitting on the back deck here gets me claustrophobic! By the way, enjoying the heck out of the kids and grandkids! Went to Lynchburg yesterday and turns out it is a motorcycle gathering place on weekends! DH was in HOG heaven (LOL) We all enjoyed...walked around the town and just had a leisurely afternoon. Drove through Shelbyville where they were having a TN walking horse celebration. Lots of beautiful horses. Rode back on a twisty -windy road with wonderful scenery and beautiful old homes....made me wonder why we ever moved away from here. Getting lots of hugs, eating way too much food, and loving every second. Not sure what today holds...going with the flow.
Ya'll have have a good day.
Deb
Good Morning from M'boro!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Deb,
Glad you are enjoying yourself..I can bring you seeds of Florence Fennel, it's culinary and also a bfly host, a couple of different basils and may can come up with more..I can bring plants of pink flowering oregano and purple agastache which is hyssop an herb..that's crazy..I don't know what nursey has told you this, but even in the boonies here..have been able to find herbs..but we do have a great new nursery and they have a great buyer who knows her plants..but even Wal Mart has herbs.
Enjoy yourself and a safe and blessed trip home!!
Carolyn
P.S. Baptisia grows wild in some places of the state..it comes in cream or white and blue here..I don't have any extra at this time, but have a niece that dug up some in the spring..it was pretty big..probably didn't make it with this heat..I have a couple of small blue that I got up from a seed trade that haven't bloomed yet..post on the seed forum!!
They have Baptista australis at Blue Stone Perennials. You can find a hybrid called Screamin' Yellow at some of the better local nurseries. I know a fellow in Arkansa will gather the white wild baptista and trade. If you would like I will see if I can find his e-mail and ask if any is available for trade. I got some from him a few years back. I know it grows wild in the Tupelo area.
Loretta
Thanks luvsplants and Loretta!
You're right, I can find the more common herbs at the local nurseries and WallyWorld in the Spring and a nursery in L'ville has some more varieties but only in the Spring. I have oregano, sage, marjoram (oregano and marjoram are growing like crazy behind my fish pond - love the rocks), rosemary and bee balm. Can't get thyme to do well here - I don't think I've found just the right place to grow it yet. I also grow fennel for the b'flies (I love the bronze). I sure would like to have some of the hysop.
Thanks for all of the info about the Baptisia. I try and watch for the local wildflowers - but haven't seen any of it here yet.
Deb
MSFarmerGirl!!!
We're so glad you are enjoying every minute of your vacation!! Keep on going, Kirk can bungee you to him so you can sleep on the way home without falling off.
Judy
Deb,
I took a quick around the yard..I can bring small clary sage that will bloom next yr. and reseed thereafter and lions tail also a reseeder, also yellow Tansy and toothache plant..I can try to get you a piece of my Mexican Mint Merigold.let me know if you want to try any of these..just gathered a few Lemon Basil seeds and Spicy Mexican Basil seeds.How about chives?
Carolyn
I've had some blue Baptisia 3 or 4 yr and haven't seen a bloom can't figure out why.
Ruth
Carolyn,
I'd love some of all of the above. I use to grow all of these when I lived in N. Alabama, GA and TN. Haven't really tried too many of them in Phila. Seems like so many of my herbs get the black mildew or something. I'm not giving up. I'm trying a new site this next year.
Ruth, if you find out what's going on with the Baptisia, let me know. Where did you get yours?
I'd love to stop in Cullman on the way home and see if that wonderful herb nursery is still there but don't think we are going that way and couldn't bring anything back if I did. By the way folks, if you want to save money traveling - a motorcycle is the way to go - you don't buy anything because there isn't enough space to put it.
Thanks for all of the help...keep up the info please