Clippings October 2010

The Memphis Horticultural Society
PO Box 11665
Memphis, TN 38111
www.memphishorticulture.org
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Non-Profit org.
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Clippings
Memphis, TN
Permit #65
October 2010
If You Know Your Farmer,
Clippings
is published monthly by the
Memphis Horticultural
Society
PO Box 11665
Memphis, TN 38111
President:
John Tackett
Vice President:
Allan Wells
POSTMASTER: Time sensitive material
Please expedite
Memory Infringement
I am blessed with a relatively good memory. I can tell you within seconds if I have seen a movie, or if I have
read a book by glancing at the back cover. So, for the most part I remember quite a few things, sometimes without
really wanting to.
The problem I have is that some people don‟t understand that I usually get it the first time around. If I don‟t
understand, trust me I will ask for more information. There are those however that either don‟t remember what they
have already told me or think I don‟t remember, so they proceed to tell me the same thing over and over and over
again.
There is one particular person in my life that I cherish, but drives me crazy getting stuck on a topic and repeating the same thoughts until I finally snap and threaten him with bodily harm if he says the words one more time. Perhaps it is a plot to drive me insane, well too late for that!
In the dictionary pulverize has one definition that seems to fit quite well – to crush or grind or pound something into powder or dust. In this case my brain would be the substance being pounded and ground into dust. I am not
however a victim of pulverization, I am a victim of Paulverization.
Those of you acquainted with us, know we love each other dearly. There are even those of you that love Paul
almost as much as I do, so I don‟t think I‟m alone in this battle for mental survival. I believe at one time or another
anyone that gets close enough has been Paulverized.
When it gets really bad, my advice for mental salvation is to hum silently in your head, or
count to 100 hundred backwards, or you could just run away. Don‟t worry that he will follow you,
by the time you are out of range, trust me some other unsuspecting victim is already in his sites.
After twenty plus years I still haven‟t figured out if he is just repeating things to help himself
remember, or if he just likes to repeat things. Luckily he usually jumps to another topic on a
monthly basis, so those of you that don‟t have to live with him are relatively safe from complete and
utter Paulverization. However, do remain alert to the signs and do what you need to do to save
yourselves.
Can’t Remember What I Just Said,
Kay Little
Secretary:
Carolyn Poore
Treasurer:
Don Wear
Immediate Past President:
Lorie Emens
Ways and Means:
Vicki Duggins-Chair
Programs:
John Tackett-Acting Chair
Membership:
Kiersten Watkins, Donna Stringer,
Ed Sharrow
Hospitality:
Barbara Bounds, Cornelia Swain
Floral Arrangements:
Donna Olswing
Plant Exchange:
Tina McWhorter-Chair
Linda Pittman
Newsletter:
Emelia Miekicki-Events
Jenny Fletcher, Betty Griffith—
Distribution
Webmaster:
Barry McCalla
Newsletter Submissions:
Mhort.newsletter@gmail.com
No LATER THAN 14th of month
prior to date of newsletter
Our speakers for the meeting Tuesday, October 5, will be Keith Forrester of
Whitton Farms near Tyronza, Arkansas.
Regular customers of the Wednesday afternoon Farmers Market at the Botanic Garden know that Keith and Jill Forrester grow over 250 varieties of flowers, herbs, and vegetables on their 15 acre farm.
Keith and Jill‟s organic farm has won
multiple recognitions including Edible
Memphis’s Farmer of the Year for 2008
and 2009 and Mother Nature News Top
40 Farmer under 40. For even more
honors and a sneak peek of the presentation, visit their website at:
www.whittonfarms.com
Please join us at 7 pm in the Goldsmith Room, Memphis Botanic Garden,
free for members, $5 for guests.
Pastoral Images from Buckaroo Hills
At the close of July‟s Memphis Horticulture Society meeting, I found myself still reeling from Lorie Emens‟ presentation on her Fantasy Garden.
I began to ponder what my fantasy garden might look like. Ferns, mushrooms, wild flowers, butterflies. I found myself mentally strolling through
our pasture and realized that my fantasy garden was a reality. All at once I
was drawn back to reality as I overheard someone say that there was no program lined up for September.
Still dazed from my mental stroll through the pasture I looked up and
found myself standing beside John Tackett.
Before I knew it, I was volunteering to present the September program. John‟s eyes lit up. After he composed himself, he asked me for the
program title. My mouth went dry and my hands began to sweat. I had volunteered to present a program, in front of a
lot of people, and I had no idea what I was
going to speak about. Once again I returned
to my happy place, our pasture. Then I realized that I could present a program on my
views of a fantasy garden, our pasture at
Buckaroo Hills. So I told John my program
would be would titled „Pastoral Images‟. I believe his mouth went dry and his hands
(Continued on page 2)
Frozen Vapor
President’s
Letter
—John Tackett
Although the garden never looked prettier at the
first of June of this year, by the first of September it
was particularly haggard after the miserable hot
weather we have had. The end of summer is always
a good time for an evaluation of the garden to think
about plants that might be added.
I am very big on having some greenery year
around, so I am interested in evergreen ferns such
as Polystichum setiferum 'Pulcherrimum Bevis'.
The ends of the fronds have a very attractive curve.
Tissue culture has lowered the price of the rare
plant, so we may
be finding it more
readily available.
A hydrangea
that flowers on
both the last
year's wood and
the current year's
wood is the answer to all those who are always unsure of what to cut. Hydrangea macrophylla 'Mirai'
is one such mophead, white edged with red.
Hardy geraniums are a great choice to fill in
those bare spots of a border in late summer and
early fall. I am still researching a variety that would
work in my soil, with a delicate flower and a growth
that is not weedy looking.
Nasturtiums are a great addition to a garden
and a garden salad. The crunchy, spicy and sweet
flowers are a colorful topping. Now that I have a
couple of garden cats to control the squirrels and
voles, I hope to try to grow them. Contact Hector if
you would like to adopt a pair of adorable cats!
Dogwoods for the Green-Thumbed Challenged
Think growing dogwoods is a rather daunting task? Not anymore! With new introductions coming out on a
regular basis, you no longer have to have larger trees to protect your little treasures from the scorching heat, nor
„settle‟ for the late blooming kousa varieties. With new crosses out there, you can get blooms only a little later than
you do with Cornus florida but still get a sturdy, vigorous dogwood with hardly any pests and pretty good sun tolerance.
„Starlight‟ and „Venus‟ dogwoods give you saucer sized (I promise) blooms about
two weeks after native dogwoods go into bloom, take the sun well and have a vigorous growth habit. They also have large strawberry like fruit in late summer, early
fall. Both have good drought resistance and high pest and disease resistance. Both
are Rutgers crosses.
„Constellation‟, „Celestial‟ and „Stellar Pink‟ have the same growth habits, but not
the huge blooms of the „Starlight‟ and „Venus‟ varieties. These Rutgers crosses were
released several years ago.
„Celestial Shadow‟ is a variegated version of „Celestial‟. Dark green leaves with a
bright but not obnoxious yellow variegation is striking at all times, but really something to see once the pink and red fall color starts to intermingle. It is also a vigorStarlight
ous plant with good resistance to disease.
If you are already a fan of kousa dogwood, try „Galilean‟ or „Green sleeves‟ , both very vigorous growers who
bloom at a very early age and size. Kousa dogwoods are tough as nails and need sun exposure to bloom well.
If, however, the native dogwood is the one for you, try „Kay‟s Appalachian Mist‟ for its superior mildew resistance as a white, or „Cherokee Brave‟ as a red (or dark pink). „Brave‟ isn‟t new, but still hard to beat for a red.
„Appalachian Mist‟ is an introduction of the Tennessee Agricultural Experiment Station.
There are many more, „new‟ varieties available at your local nurseries, so there‟s no excuse not to have a dogwood blooming in your yard by next spring.
(Continued from page1)
probably began to sweat but he was a trooper and said, ok.
I began to review a years worth of photographs that I had taken in
our pasture at Buckaroo Hills. By the first of September, I had produced a presentation of with almost 300 photos; I figured my program
would last a little over two hours. To make it even worse, I was still taking photos in the pasture. This had to stop. I stored the camera away
on the 6th of September, added more photos to the presentation and
then began to cull in earnest. Just before midnight on September 6th, I
had finished and my program contained 176 images. I still had no idea
what I would say as I flipped through
the photos and hoped that they would speak for themselves.
I remember standing up in front of a rather large number of people at
around 7:00 on the evening of the MHS meeting and about 50 minutes
later I found my way to a chair. The experience was painless and rather enjoyable; thanks to the nice feedback from the audience.
I truly appreciate having the opportunity to share with you my views of
the micro world of poop, flora and fauna.
Thank you,
Barry S. McCalla
Remember to bring a plant for the month‟s plant exchange!
Bring a plant and go home with a new favorite.
Also, consider bringing some food to share with fellow members. Many come to
meeting immediately after work and don‟t have a chance for dinner. Plus you
may win the month‟s floral arrangement.
—Rhonda Gray,
The Dabney Nursery
Thanks to Our Members, Our Meetings are EVENTS!
Our thanks go to those who
brought food to be enjoyed at our
September meeting:
Pat Allen,
Barbara Bounds,
Ann Frogge,
Susan Henon,
Cheryl Lockhart,
Linda Pittman,
Marie Ricossa,
Cornelia Swain,
Rosa Woody.
The winner floral arrangement
was Cheryl Lockhart.
Design by Donna Olswing consisting of:
Sunflowers: Moulin Rouge, Teddy
Bear and Autumn Gold
Zinnias: Benarys giant orange, red
and yellow. Also Polar Bear.
Grasses: Red Baron and fountain
grass
Foliage....rosemary, boxwood, lecothia and English ivy
MHS would also like to welcome new members: Betty Blaylock, Betty Griffith, Jenny Fletcher, Mary
Anna Knack, Anne Krekelberg, Alexandra Stoecklein and Ann Wright.
MHS also extends its sympathies to member, Kathy Sammons on the loss of her husband Charles
“Chuck” Sammons. Kathy and Chuck were married forty-six years.