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The Accidental Gardener
Sherry's Big TV Appearance
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Posted
6/28/2008 5:15 PM CDT
You know I’m crazy about Sherry… And tons of you have asked to SEE a photo of Sherry. Well, the truth is, Sherry is rather camera shy. She doesn’t enjoy the limelight. Still, she couldn't escape this assault. Last Thursday, I helped send KTRK 13 up to Atascocita to visit Sherry and get an up close look at her rain barrels. Care to see the segment? Here’s the link to the video.
http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/media?id=6233223 ... Read More » |
My time with a ginger fanatic...
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Posted
6/26/2008 3:53 PM CDT
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A tale of three gingers...
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Posted
6/13/2008 3:34 PM CDT
You love gingers?
The lovely "Pink V" OK, so it was about two years ago when I realized this woman I was dating was a dyed-in-the-husk plant nut. (See, to my mind, dyed-in-the-wool doesn’t really work here. Dyed in the husk seems more plant-like?) Though there had been plenty of earlier hints, I guess the moment of true realization was when she decided to take on the transformation of my decrepit townhouse atrium. No, it wasn’t my fault the space was just so brown and, well, devoid of plant life. The fact is, neither the landlord nor any previous owners had ever seemed to care that this could be a source of beauty in their lives. That--and the fact they were probably too lazy to water. But I digress (as I’m apt to do). Using my truck, my girl friend hauled in a loads of mulch along with a ficus, a plumeria, two flats of wax leaf begonias, two oxalis, some cool looking small tree whose name I forget as well as what I thought was a very impressive centerpiece, a Queen Anne palm tree. I was no less than astonished regarding the transformation. Hey, that Queen Ann was magnificent. I gotta’ tell ya’, it was so beautiful, I didn’t even mind hauling it over from the truck and digging the hole in 95 degree Texas heat. But to my mind, the plants that absolutely made the entire landscape come together? It was the three nearly three foot tall curcumas she placed in the corner opposite the doorway. GINGERS!!! Again I’m such a twit, I cannot remember the name of these particular gingers. All I know is that their flowers are amazing and that when my sons and I leave this place, well, while everything else can stay, those we’re gonna’ be digguing up and taking with us.
Name that ginger? (Hint: It's in my related blog.) Ceil…the ginger lady So I don’t know what those gingers are. All I know is where they came from. They had been gracing Sherry’s side yard. That she gave them to me I now realize is a testament to how much I was starting to mean to Sherry. I mean, to give up three gingers? But where did they come from originally? For that, we turn to Mercer Arboretum and to Ceil Dow, known to many as “the ginger lady”. Ceil is Mercer’s resident ginger promoter, propagator and overall fanatic. According to Sherry, it is in large part because of Ceil’s love for these plants that Mercer can boast such an exhaustive collection of gingers. So what does that mean to you? Come out to Mercer’s Summer Plant Sale on Saturday, June 28 and you’ll see. The fact is, gingers will be a prominent theme at the sale—details at which are in my accompanying blog. And thanks to Ceil’s efforts, you’ll be able to see and purchase varieties of gingers that according to Sherry “just can’t be found anywhere else.” In closing, have a look at thia onw: Hedychium 'Hawaiian Pink' Allow me one last indulgence? It's Father's Day on Sunday...so I'd like to wish my father in Cumberland, Maryland a happy Father's Day! Plus, I'm a proud father myself...so here's a just received pic of my oldest son Xander on board the frigate Reuben James. (Don't worry Dane and Doug, I'm proud of you too.)
(OK, so that was TWO last indulgences!) My best to all!!! ... Read More »
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Gingers at Mercer
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Posted
6/13/2008 3:14 PM CDT
I mentioned two things in my accompanying ginger blog: One, Mercer Arboretum is having a summer sale on Saturday, June 28 from 9am-4pm. Yes, they'll be selling a LOT of gingers!!! Two, Ceil is force behind Mercer's amazing selection of gingers from around the world.
Check out this curcuma "Purple Prince"... So what ginger varieties will be available at the sale? Ceil says Mercer will be featuring: Hedychium (Butterfly Ginger) 16 varieties availableCurcuma (Hidden Gingers) - 14 varietiesKaempferia (Peacock Gingers) 16 varietiesCostus (Spiral Ginger) 6 varietiesGlobbas (Dancing Ladies) 5 varietesSiphonochilus (African Ginger) 2 varietiesZingiber (Pine Cone Ginger)- 3 varietiesAlpinias (Shell Ginger) By the way, here's a few words directly from Ceil: Gingers are naturally heat loving, blooming when most other perennials fade in the heat. Butterfly Gingers that especially love the heat are Hedychium 'Hawaiian Pink" and H. "Pink V". H. "Hawaiian Pink" is a 6' erect leaf stalk terminating in a large panicle of fragrant, soft pink blossoms. H. 'Pink V" is a 7' stately leaf stalk, terminating in a heady panicle of white blossoms with a pinky-orange center shaped like a "V". This one has a strong citrus fragrance. Both varieties bloom off and on throughout the summer and into late fall. Gingers are a great and unusual addition for the front of a perennial border. For example, curcuma 'Purple Prince' is a petite Hidden Ginger at 12 inches with a deep purple inflorescence (flower cluster). Blooms last for a full month then produce another long lasting inflorescence for a floral display all summer. Kaempferias or "Peacock Gingers" are especially decorative in a shade garden with their ornamental patterned leaf. Embellished bands of zig zags & brush strokes festoon the soft green shades of these leaves. The Kaempferia varieties K. "Brush Strokes", "Satin Checks", "Shazzam", "Silver Spot" and "Alva" are just a few of the decorative varieties that can bedazzle any shady spot. To bring children into the garden, the Pine Cone Ginger or Zingiber will delight them. These interesting blooms appear as green pine cones with petite, creamy white flowers peaking out of each bract. As the cone matures, it turns a deep crimson red. When squeezed, a wonderfully fragrant liquid gushes out. Kids love squeezing them just to see how much liquid can really come out! Blooms all summer.  The zingiber zerumbet or Pine Cone Ginger--lives up to its name, eh? Costus or Spiral Gingers add a tropical interest to the garden. The stems have a tendency to twirl or twist into a curl. The leaves are spirally arranged around the stem giving them their common name. These South American favorites bloom from late spring and continue into late fall. Blooms attract hummingbirds which are their natural pollinator. Costus subsessillis is a very special front-of-the-border plant with giant, fat, yellow, ruffled flowers adorning its long pubescent leaves and short 8" inch stems. Thanks Ceil!!! As for the rest of y'all, be sure to say hi to Ceil at the sale! ... Read More » |
Rain Barrels: We're SOOOO Green Now!!!
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Posted
5/29/2008 12:00 AM CDT
I am such an awful photographer. Jeez, maneez. But let’s not allow that to spoil what otherwise could be a riveting, rain barrel-focused blog entry So it was Sherry’s birthday last weekend and I decided to surprise her with something I’d heard her mention once or twice without her taking further action. Rain barrels. Ever dreamed of collecting your own rain water? Recycling a natural resource? Maybe you enjoy being “greener than thou”? Well, my truck gets 12 miles per gallon—provided it’s all highway driving and I keep her under 70. So my carbon footprint is massive! But now? With our new rainwater recycling system? We can be as smug as any Toyota Prius driver. (Hey, I love you Prius drivers but let’s be honest, you can be a bit smug.) Obtaining barrels Want a rain barrel? Well, unless you’re talking something in plastic, don’t try to find one in Houston. The ONLY place to find an authentic, used whiskey barrel is on the internet. And a wooden rain barrel…a used whiskey barrel…my goodness…they’re just so beautiful. What an addition to a yard, or to a garden! And what an AMAZING scent. When the first arrived? I found myself exhaling fully, burying my nose in an opening, then inhaling and just basking in the scent. (Our barrels? They decantered Old Forrester—a brand I am sure to snare the next time we’re at Spec’s.)
OK…a simple search will pull up names like “Aaron’s Rain Barrels” and I’m certain they’re a fine supplier. But here’s the thing. This outfit I found called Kentucky Rain Barrels, although they’re a bit technologically challenged (their website, http://www.kentuckybarrels.com/, is not all it could be), they’re as customer-focused as you could ever hope for. Want your faucet lower, perhaps below the bottom stave so you can squeeze a bit more water? Want your overrun valve on the left, the back or the right? However you want to configure your barrel, they’ll do it. That’s the good news. The bad news is that, like I said, they’re technologically challenged. You’ll have to communicate with them via email and it may take several days for them to get back to you. But once they do, like I said, you get your barrel your way and you get it fast. Saving money Another advantage of these folks? They don’t roll up the cost of shipping into their barrel price. In fact, they’ll arrange for cash on delivery shipping. As a result, the barrels cost only $150 versus $250 and up at other sites. Now the really good news? Order two barrels and the shipping is roughly the same as for one barrel. So you can get two barrels for $300 plus $110 shipping—or $410. See that? You’re saving a lot of money if your plan included two barrels!!! By the way, you’ll want two barrels. It rained last night? Both barrels were full in a matter of minutes. I did some calculations—you may not know this but I’m a bit of a mathematician. And I calculated that given the area of Sherry’s back roof and assuming zero loss of water (as if), all it takes is .46 inches of rain to fill a 53 gallon barrel. In any event, from just one rain, we now have two full barrels. That’s 106 gallons of fresh, pure, recycled, chlorine free water.
We’re already thinking we want to order four or five more barrels. Rain Chains Did ya’ happen to notice the rain chains? I may be a dolt, but I had never noticed these before, despite half a dozen trips to Asia. But as exciting as these rain barrels might be in and of themselves, I believe adding a rain chain makes for a spectacular look! Very feng shui, eh? So yeah, that meant I had to throw up some new gutters—and let me tell you, that was a blast in 94 degree weather. But afterwards, when we grabbed a garden hose and gave them a try and yeah, they were, well, gorgeous! Well worth the effort! (I especially love the sound.) Next step? We’re gonna’ find some copper pots to help catch the water, drilling holes in the bottoms to drain into the barrels. (Trips to Tuesday Morning and several other shops were fruitless—so we’re gonna’ buy something online.) In any case, here’s where we got the rain chains: http://www.rainchains.com. And here are a few of the rain chain links hanging temporarily in one of Sherry's kitchen windows.
Oh, and as for the final payoff? Sherry called me in the midst of last night’s rain (we’re getting married in the Fall, we don’t yet live together) and said, “Can ya' hear the rain? Can you hear the sounds? I love my rain barrels. I love my rain chains.” That’s all the reward I need. (One last glance at a rain barrel...the scent of bourbon still strong!!!)
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