VA Eastern Shore Get Together/Plant Swap

bellie, I like your style lady! maybe if you come in the fall you can bring me any pots you can't use.

If we do put together a trip to Plant Delights Nursery (also known as Juniper Level Botanical Gardens) y'all are in for a treat. They have everything from whimsical garden statuary, two man-made waterfalls, one big enough to stand under, a dragon made of old garden tools, and enough plants on display to make you drool for hours and hours, all on a couple acres, so not a difficult walk. And THEN they have many greenhouses! There's a huge tropicals garden, a bog garden (Jody could take notes!), a fabulous woodland garden with many types of unusual conifers, even a cottage style "small space" veggie garden. Hostas everywhere. what I like is viewing the trees and shrubs full grown, see what it is I'm buying!

COUNT me in!!!!!!!!! I would love to come visit. Wish we had a nursery around here like that.....and I love nursery that do lots of unique eye catching displays. And Bonnie, how great it would be if you could convince those iris to bloom at the same time....I bet that is ONE spectacular show at your place!!!!

well, y'all think about this: 2008 their Open House was the same week as my iris prime bloom, first week of May. Seems to me it's about the same time each year. Y'all want me to ask them about next year's schedule? y'all could come then, see irises and the nursery.

But if we do a RU in the fall to co-ordinate, I'm inviting ENCIS, the local chapter of Iris Society - they were thinking about doing a swap but never quite decided. If I host, they'll have one built in! if we do a spring RU and get lucky, maybe we'll have an iris show, too!

OH OH OH OH

thought I'd lost my 2007 "seating chart" for my iris beds - just found where I'd input the "seat" and row numbers on the wrong spreadsheet! Just found it -

Jody - Folk Art and Fancy Sparkler lost their labels before planting, so we still don't know which of those two you have. According to this chart, you should have Wish Upon a Star, the smallest one I gave. Got it from Snowpeak, Dee Stewart- irisloverdee - if you want to go check out photos. no my photos yet - they didn't bloom this year. :o)

I would definitely be up for a visit to Plant Delights!

bonjon, let me know if you want me to send those Dappled Willow cuttings. I can still take them anytime. One of the two that I fried is starting to put out new leaves now, too, so unless I try to kill it again, it should be ready in a few months.

Laura,
I hope the did not go to waste.

When is the PD trip, I would like to tag along and help pay for gas.

Bonjon,
Yes I can bring some pots... Bellie

Bellie, I think Brian had a late night snack (or two), he likes to graze and it was gone by yesterday evening, lol!

I'll have to see when I can go, depends on fall or next spring. My calendar is already set through early September with travel, though much less in than in the past few months. I think I might have something the first week of October too, now that I think about it. Spring is sounding just lovely, though. :-)

If we go down, you are, of course welcome to ride along, as is one or two others. The only restriction might be on what we can fit into the bed of the truck for the ride home, lol! Might need some "bleachers" back there for plants, heheheh. Oh yeah, we can use the trunk too!

How about we try to do a local get together for lunch and/or a nursery visit or two every couple of months during the season? We don't have to do a swap, just whoever wants to set the date and locations can be the "head gardener" for the day.

Bonnie, if I want to divide my dwarf iris, which has one big "mama" rhizome, with about a half dozen babies on the side which have leaves, when do I do it...and how do I cut/where do I cut?

Laura

PDN's open houses for this year are Jul 11-13 and Sept 12-14. I really want to get there, july too busy and too hot. Sept is good for me. Will make a weekend out of it. We won't know what dates in spring until they post em next year.

I would like to get to Solbergs place too while I'm "in the area". I'll email him ahead of time to be sure he or nancy will be there. Maybe make it for Sunday a.m. stop and home from there or something.

bonjon, glad you found your charts! :) I meant to take you out back to the "pot pile" but got completely sidetracked of course. I can bring you some pots when we come down. Most likely mom and I will make the trip to PDN in Sept wether we have an "official" get together planned or not.

I've gotta run, don't know if I'll check back in this week. I'm heading to Maine tomorrow for my stepsons wedding on Sat. Be back next week sometime. I will be going by Rick Sawyers place to see what new hosta he's got going on ;)

edited to add: Laura I think a get together of some sort every other month or so sounds great!

This message was edited Jun 11, 2008 8:23 AM

well whenever y'all come, we'll make sure you are well fed and kept busy. Y'all have provided me with a long planting list!

John and I will be in the area either the last week of August or first week of September, not exactly sure yet. We might be open for a lunch or something if it can be arranged. Not sure about Plant Delights, but sure would like to hook up with Bonita at some point when it is cooler and chat for a bit. Bonjon, I bet that you are full of funny stories to tell.

Laura and I have spoken in the past about getting a group together to tour The Monticello Gardens which are very close to my home. I will get their calender for next Spring and see what sorts of things they have going on, and maybe some of you reading this will be interested in that too. This spring was packed full, activity-wise for both of us and no trip was planned.

I was going to dmail most of you, but have decided to post here what I would like say and let the cards fall where they may. Our Swap Hostess was and is going through a pretty bad time emotionally. She never let on to anyone but mentioned to John and I that on the Monday following the Swap, she was having to put down her cat who is 13 years old. He had intestional problems and cancer. She mentioned in passing that she has been shedding a lot of tears the past few days. I am not sure how many of you are pet owners, but for myself and other pet owners, the animals become our family. It is extra tough when we have to put them down even if we know it is in their best interest to do so.

If having to face that on Monday was not enough, another of her cats didn't show up at home on Saturday afternoon for his dinner. He had not returned as of yesterday afternoon. John tells me that Jody and Jean are suspecting that a fox got it and killed it. So, a double whammy!!! Along with all of this Jody is returning this week to Maine where she hasn't visited since her father's death a year ago. So, she is also having anniversary of death issues also.

I just wanted to inform you in case anyone wanted to contact Jody and let her know that we are thinking of her. I know for myself that a group of women on Dave's helped me go through a very blue time two summers ago when I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer, which is totally taken care of now and I am healthy in that respect.

Jody, I hope that I have not over stepped my boundaries by sharing this with the group. I just have a feeling if they are anything like all the other Dave's people that I have met, they would want to know when one of the others is having a bad time.

In her last post, Jody said it might be a while before she is able to access the website, so it may be a few days before she receives any messages.

Okay, back to more pleasant thoughts and planning the next get together. Thanks ladies.

Ruby

Ruby, I knew I liked you! Mom is a survivor of massive breat cancer, so I have to live with all the "don'ts" for life and have had to live with "am I or am I not" for twenty years now. Now I'm her age. Dad is a survivor of two other cancers [they live in a "cancer cell"] and has a slow growing cancer now that should kill him in another six to eight years - he's 87 now and not too worried about it! Kudos to you, girl. You "wear it well"

And aren't you a dear. Jody was near tears a few times when we were talking, and I wondered but didn't want to pry with a newly found friend. I was last one there that afternoon. God works in mysterious ways, to give her something happy she'd planned for overtop of her loss, so as to keep her mind on tomorrow.

Went through a bit of a nasty divorce over 20 years ago. On day the judge was to decide whether or not I'd get custody of our kids - and judge had voiced a very nasty distaste for me in court - the Bible passage that day on my hostess's calendar was, "God's holding you in the palm of his hands." forget the exact verse. so be it for Jody, too.

Odd thing about the Lord Almighty. Sometimes He allows us to lose, so that He can bless us with far more, and so we won't take it for granted when He does. [Or maybe that pussy was so darling and in so much pain He decided to call her home and used you and her doc as instruments to make it happen.] I lost my spouse, my home, my job, 98% of my possessions, even my clothes when I left with less than 48 hours notice. Lost the car within the month. But I took the kids with me, and a year later was about to lose them thru court, too. Didn't, though. And if it hadn't been for that verse, I would have lost my courage and certainly my sanity. I clung to those words with all my heart.

So hang in there, Jody. No one knows what is in the almighty plan for you and yours. We are but stewards of what He blesses us with, but utimately he calls us all home. I look at my house and think - oh, no, what if he came today? I looked at your garden and thought, "He could make Himself right at home here, take off His sandals, and have a nice rest."

byt he by, on those rose bushes - have I told you yet that I put in a handful of crystals, Kubi? in case you've not seen them before and didn't know, they are water absorbing polymer to help keep moisture, thought they might help keep roots wet. they can be planted in the holes with the decayed mulch.

Heehee-- yes, Bonita, I noticed them. Kinda freaked me out when I stuck my hand in there and felt those squishy, jelly-like things! But, I figured it out. I went ahead and put them in the holes with the mulch. Got your irises planted, too, right up by the road where everyone will be able to see them when they drive by.

Jody, you are an amazing woman to have been going through so much last Saturday and still have been such an awesome and wonderful hostess. I am so very sorry about your kitties. It's a terrible blow to lose a pet, but two in a matter of days seems like almost too much to bear.

Bellie, if the Plant Delight trip happens, I'll be driving down through VA Beach. I can give you a ride of you like.

Jody,

My heart goes out to you. I was in your spot last year with a lab...but we got through it just like you will...in time that is. Like Joya said........your amazing to put on a smile last saturday with so much on your plate! I want to go to plants delight!!!!!!!!! I might need more hosta.....haha

cindy

Jody, so sorry to hear that you are having such a bad week and hope that when you are able to join us that we can share your pain at the loss of your dear fur children and your dad. Bonnie said it so well. Sending a huge hug.

September in NC sounds perfect for me for PDN, I have to check my calendar to see what I can make it to. I plan to try and go see Cindy sometime in the next month or so. Outside of that, I'm traveling and working in the yard.

Laura

OMG JODY, I can't believe you're lucky enough to be visiting Rick Sawyer - one of my FAVORITE nurseries in Maine!!! Just came across a lovely Lily of the Valley that he introduced on Seneca Hill's website yesterday morning and brought back many fond memories of my visit to his place - it was only 20 min from where I lived! If you see this message before you visit ask him why the heck he doesn't have a website yet? Their place is on my "must do" list the next time I'm able to visit Maine anytime other than January :( I hope your Maine visit will be a pleasant one in light of what Ruby has reported above - my heart goes out to you (((HUGS)))

Thanks everyone for the responses. I know that they will do Jody's heart good. Bonnie, you nut......and also a woman after my own heart. I too have done the divorce route, twice, mind you. So, you see your understanding of how God works is much like mine......I am finally blessed beyond all reasoning with the great man that I have now been with for fifteen years.

During my first divorce is when I found myself deep in to the scriptures too. That is where I found the most comfort, and there were several verses that I clung to with my life. One of these days you and I can sit down and have a hot tea and compare notes of the insanity of the court system.

Anyway, I hope that every one will have a great day. Thank God it has cooled a bit here for a while.

Ruby

we are wall to wall haze today from smoke from a wildfire in a wildlife preserve down near the coast. Winds shifted; they expect the dangerous air quality to some.

Am sitting here at work staring at cameras, sending out "serenity and courage" prayers for Jody, and mentally planning where each hosta and shade perennial will go. With her encouragement, I'm starting on the "big oak hosta beds" today, assuming I can breathe outside!

September date is good for me just let me know who is driving. You all can come here for some snacks or good meal. LOL!!! Bellie

Laura ...you go gardening shopping to GREAT gardens and dont even call to see what we want.....haha....and bellie trying to hitch rides for food.....HAHAHAH!!! What is the gardening world coming to. Anyway, today was a little better in heat and I got a few things done outside.....

Talking about heat, it was hot yesterday and I played 18 holes, 9 holes today, 9 holes on friday and 18 on Saturday. I am really baked to a crisp!!! My game is much improved!!

Garden shopping sounds good to me!!

Got to go to bed, I have a massage appt at 7:30 AM. Good night. Bellie

hit a few balls for me Bellie! sitting here in golf capital and cant play worth a mulligan!

back to sleep - so much for the wonders of command - staffer just called in here - good night all.

in a dmail, Ruby asked me for iris planting tips. What I typed wasn't bad, so here it is again:

never did give you planting tips. here goes, most of it a rehash of what is on line -

TB irises are desert plants by heritage, fairly hardy and not easy to kill. But they have their quirks.
1. They don't like their "feet " to stay wet, nor can they sit in soil that stays wet. Most folks in wetter areas grow them on slopes or in raised beds. Some folks add sand or perlite to their soil to make it drain better. I dug trenches in my beds, piling the soil twice as high in the rows, leveled it off and planted - worked well.

2. They like soil around pH7 - but can tolerate from pH6- pH8. Add lime to go up, sulphur to go down.

3. At planting, add some superphosphate or bonemeal.

4. Fertilizing - not now. This is their most dormant time. September use 0-10-10 around each rhizome. Next spring when they start coming up, feed them 5-10-10, but remember nitrogen promotes rot in these irises. They need just a touch.

5. Planting - hm, guess the hole you make looks a bit like an empty Jello mold ring - put the foot in the center and spread the roots out evenly into the deep part, then back fill. If the first two rains wash the soil off the top of the rhizome, you did it just right!
One caution - with all my new purchases last year, l took a short cut and scooped out a long narrow slip with a shallow end. Put the foot on the shallow and all the roots behind it in the deep and backfilled. DON'T - THEY ALL FELL OVER when they bloomed!!! their bloomstalk is very heavy and twice as tall and they need those fat white roots spread out to anchor them.

6. My irises are all potted. you could get away with slipping them out and into their new holes. But if they tend to flop over, you can trim up to half to a third of the height of the foliage off. It actually helps promote new growth and keeps them from being top heavy while they are anchoring themselves.

If you ever want to trade them try to keep a record of their names. Irises without their name tags are just as pretty. But with names they are almost twenty times as desirable to traders. only 1 in about 10,000 iris seedlings is worthy of "introduction" and getting a registered name, so names become very important. all mine HAD names, but on the noIDs, their tags were lost and the breeder was not available to tell what they were. But it really doesn't matter - they are going to be stunning. just one more thing on the names - they can get pretty interesting. I particularly like "Starship Enterprise" "I've Got a Secret" and "Osay Canuc"

Hm - this looks good - think I'll post it.

will add here - if you live where the plan'ts foliage dies off in the winter, cut if off within a 2 to 3 weeks, and don't compost this first year - iris are subject to some funguses and rots that are transmitted by contact. this spring was so wet on the east coast, I don't know of an iris grower that hasn't got some leaf fungus growing!

If y'all dmail me, remind me the names of your irises, I'l send photos and info back on each named variety.

Thanks so much for the details!!!! I am so excited about my iris's I got from the trade. Now I almost wished I had taken more. I cant wait until next spring for them to bloom. Something other then light purple....YEAH!!!

wild

Same here wild. I have oodles of purple Iris and asked Bonjon to bring me any other colors than that. I too am looking forward to seeing my red, light blue and yellow Iris when they bloom.

Ruby

think John grabbed a white and a light pink for you too, ruby

Oh my gosh........even better!!! I am excited.

Oh, he asked me to ask you Bon, if the berry plants have survived?

Ruby

well, they aren't planted yet, but the boxes are under the "sacrificial" tree and have gotten rained on twice. I saw new growth showing out the top of one box!

Randall and I have had personal set-backs twice this past week. That with work pressure and heat has made it difficult for me to get much planted.

Did anyone send me an Atlas poppy in this RU? I found one under the tree yesterday when we were digging and prepping the new hosta bed under the oaks.

Bonjon,

I hope your set back is not to bad!!!! The heat and time has gotten the best of me this garden season....and that several of my hosta went backwards due to some massive tree roots!!! But just think.....at least you got us to at and know that we care!!!

wild

Good news for new growth on berries. You know where more are if you need them. ha-ha

We finally have everything from the swap planted except for the Iris. A new bed has to be prepared for them somewhere. We just discussed taking up a bush that I purchased a few years ago and extending an Iris bed that we already have. It will be in direct view of my kitchen window where I tend to spend a lot of time and so I will be able to enjoy their beauty several times a day during bloom season.

I am now able to look back to the swap as being a very special time for me. The awful heat that week had me in a worse mood than I thought. This morning the doors and windows are all open and there is a hint of coolness in the air. It will be perfect for the walk about that I plan to do shortly and see how things are coming along in each of the gardens.

Jody, are you home yet? How was your weekend in Maine? Hope to hear from you soon.

Ruby

Hey Y'all - listen up. Ruby, you said Jody lost her cats?

Well - she doesn't know it yet - but she received a new kitten that Saturday.

Anyone that picked up a "pink noID" from me, there were several and I know John grabbed one and Jody got one:

I just identified it! It's name is - Pink Kitten. If you head over to the iris forum and review the thread called "are pinks a little scarce" or something like that - there's just the sweetest photo in there near the bottom.

The Lord works in mysterious ways. Maybe she and Jean can plant that one as a memorial to a lost friend.

I'm home! :) Just got to MD yesterday and drove down here to VA this morning. The weeds are 3' tall, the grass over 1' and the hosta look like they are tired of being under water. The yardens have dried out though and other than the weeds being taller than some of the plants look pretty good. Thank you thank you! John for helping me get all the pots in one place for mom to water. She just can't lug that hose around all the yardens.

I'm heading out now to mow then weed! Tomorrow after I do some work on the new house, I hope to start on the new "iris bed" and will have to put in another sun bed (or 2) somewhere and more hosta beds for all the plants I brought home with me, LOL :)

Hugs everyone, be back later!

Debbie
This will be Ricks last summer there!!! He said he will be moving a couple of towns over and doing things differently.

I have harassed him for years about getting a web site and doing mail order. LOL. He just wouldn't do it.

Now though, he is considering mail order/appt only nursery as an option for the new place. He has my email and snail mail and will be letting me know when he moves, details etc.

jody, does he need tony avent's book on opening up a main order nursery to help motivate him?

I don't know bonjon, but I sure would love for him to do mail order. Though I do love going to his place. His display gardens are incredible! Hate the thought of him leaving them :(

I've started a new thread for PDN: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/864928/

Jody, I can't believe Rick's leaving those gorgeous gardens :(( Let me know when you find out where he's going, maybe it will be even closer to Bangor and easier for me to visit when I'm in the area. Did you buy anything? Inquiring minds want to know :)

PDN in September sounds like fun, we still have never made it there - September is busy for us but I'll definitely be watching your thread just in case we can fit it into our schedule!

I know! I kept saying the same thing! As of last Fri all he planned on taking with him were his own hybrids... I think he said gail will be staying there.

Ha! I've never gone to Ricks and not bought anything ;) I got a few hosta, arisaema and a few new shade perennials. If you want further details, I'll have to finish my coffee and take a walk to the greenhouse where everything is still sitting, LOL. We did trade hosta too :) I got one of his new hybirds, Big, Wide and Handsome and he got a streaky Ginsu Knife for breeding ;)

We made a quick trip to Surry after we left his place and I got a bunch of their 2" pots.

I didn't make it to the new botanical gardens, just not enough time in one weekend with a wedding also sigh.... but my sister went a week or two ago and loved loved loved it! She said it is a "must" visit. It's on the agenda for the next trip, but that may be next year...

Oh that would be so great if you could make the PDN trip!!! Will keep my fingers crossed. I wanted to go so badly when a bunch of dg'ers met there in the past but just couldn't. This year I'm going if I've got to go alone, LOLOL.

A "quick" trip to Surry? Is there such a thing - that's quite a hike! Another favorite :) LOL
Please keep me posted when you hear anything from Rick - interesting that Gail is staying there, does that mean she will continue with Fernwood, or will it be closed forever?

Oops, forgot to ask, have you ever visited the other little nursery that's in the same area as Rick's - my memory is failing but I think it was Hidden Gardens (on one of the back roads near there although I think technically it was in Searsport versus Swanville) - even if I'm not sure about the name, I DO remember the owner's name - Carla Brown :) Not even sure if she's still open but she always had some great plants.

This message was edited Jun 20, 2008 4:12 AM