Thistle madness

Tuesday, August 5, 2008

A damp day here on the hill created by residual rains which just won't stop. Today is supposed to be the only half nice day between now and next Monday so we will have to make the best of it. I start the day at Root Canal City and hope the balance of the day improves.

The amount of rain we have received over the past three weeks is measured in quantities greater than one foot. I don't know the total here because I never had the courage to put up the rain gauge. Three storms measured in excess of 3" each and many other storms exceeded an inch at a clip. Just when the water in the daylily fields was receding a little, it rained another .7 of an inch and we are back to mud. I have had to use survey tape and re-bar to block off certain areas where it's too slippery for folks. The other day when I arrived at the nursery, Gail had a woman doing kind of a grape stomp dance with her feet inside 5 gallon buckets of water. She had

tried to do what Gail said not to do and got buried down around the daylily, Garnet Hager. The color caught her attention but the mud caught her feet. As soon as she exited the buckets, she slipped on Gail's spare boots and went back into the mire to pick daylilies herself. I guess Gail will go to lengths to make a good sale.

Forty Carats (above) just came out. There are a lot of goldy-yellows out there but this one is special. It's big and thick and the ribs coming out of the throat are powerful.

Daveo Holman is a plant I picked up from a supplier in Wisconsin. It's a giant flower but after two years, it's still quite short here.

Decateur Bullseye has made Gail quite happy. She likes distinct eyezones on big, tall scapes. That's this one for sure. On any given day, we try to pick three dozen or so daylilies to show customers what is in bloom. The table always draws attention and sure encourages sales, especially from those who can't easily walk into the gardens, slippery mud days or not.

If you're out and about today, stop by our nursery at Route 2 and talk daylilies with Gail. She's juggling home care for her 91 year old mother right now but my guess is she'll be at work by 9 like she always is.

Gardening wishes from the mountain above Peacham Pond where Karl is barking at a feral cat and I better be heading to the world of work.

George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
Vermont Gardens
Vermont Flower Farm A website that should remind you to visit us on Route 2, just west of Marshfield Village