Michael Shadrack and His Hostas



The ‘long bus’ turned so sharply off the paved road and onto a dirt track that all 40 of us garden bloggers collectively held our breath. Fortunately our driver was a real pro and soon we were driving through the woods where Kathy and Michael Shadrack, hosta experts, awaited us.

When the bus stopped Mike Shadrack leaped on to welcome us to his home and gardens.  With a nod to Frank Lloyd Wright Mike calls his house Fallingwater North because it is literally set over a stream. Its broad decks provide a deliciously dangerous view of the stream plunging into a deep wooded ravine.

In front of the house a marquee (that’s British for tent) had been set out with a proper cream tea. China cups, tea pots, milk, lemon and British scones (not the big dry kind you get in upscale bakeries) with clotted cream and strawberries were ready to help us restore our tissues before we set out to explore the shade beds planted with Mike’s hostas, and the sunny hill planted with scores of his wife’s daylilies.

Everywhere we looked were hostas of every size and hue, hostas in the woods, in beds and in pots. Shadrack explained that putting hostas in pots was one way to cut down on slug and snail damage. He also said that putting copper tape tied around the pots would act as a further deterrent. He also puts whole arrangements of min-hostas in a single pot.

I looked at the hostas growing in the dappled light of the woods and  wondered if there were no deer in New York state. In his ebullient and charming manner Shadrack told us all to be careful because we might bump into his “unique, patented deer fence.” He described this as a kind of web of monofilament fishing line that went from tree to tree.  I had heard that a single strand of  fishing line could be run around a garden at chest height to deter deer. The idea is that the deer cannot see the fishing line, but they will feel it. The touch of this invisible thing will confuse or frighten the deer and they will advance no farther and leave.  I haven’t tried this, but the idea fishing line going up and down and across from fence post to fence post, or from tree to tree sounds more dependable.

I certainly do know that hostas are deer candy. I have a few common plants growing by the Cottage Ornee and they are nibbled at all season long.

Michael Shadrack

Since most of the Buffalo gardens we had been visiting were small urban gardens, they had a fair amount of shade. And where gardeners have shade they will have hostas. In the small Timber Press Pocket Guide to Hostas ($19.95) by Diana Grenfell and Michael Shadrack, there are descriptions of 800 hostas  from mini to giant, and in every shade of green, yellow green, gold, and blue greens. Some are variegated and some are crinkled and some have fragrant flowers. There are hostas to please every taste.

In this book Shadrack and Grenfell  point out that  hostas can be a “foil early in the season to strap-shaped hemerocallis . . . later on, sun-tolerant hostas . . .  can accentuate the spikiness of yuccas.”

Shadrack reminded us that hostas are shade tolerant, not shade loving, meaning that high or dappled shade is best. Hostas need protection from the strongest sun of the day.  They need fertile soil that is moist but well drained, and a site that is protected from strong wind.

With Diana Grenfell, Shadrack has put all his knowledge and advice about hostas in the big New Encyclopedia of Hostas (Timber Press 49.95) and in November Timber Press will release The Book of Little Hostas: 200 Mini and Very Small Varieties. Just in time for holiday giving. Shadrack said he once took a photo of 100 potted mini hostas on one of his deck benches to show that every one of us has room for a substantial collection of different hostas.

Mini-hosta collection

The Shadrack garden was the final stop of the third day of touring Buffalo’s gardens for 70 garden bloggers from across the country, and from Canada. The only thing you can say about all garden bloggers, who write about their gardens online, is that they are passionate gardeners. We are also journalists, garden designers, garden coaches, garden magazine editors, and garden lecturers. If you would like to ‘meet’ some of the gardeners I met in Buffalo and see their posts and photographs of Buffalo’s gardens, logon to www.Buffa10.blogspot.com. I love the idea that Buffalo’s gardens have become an important tourist attraction.

Of  course when I returned home from Buffalo I found my own garden had undergone a growth spurt. Why is it that weeds don’t mind drought, and grow twice as fast as anything else?

I also saw that the Community Harvest has begun at Ev Hatch’s Field for the Hungry on Plain Road. If you would like to help with this harvest call Mark Maloni at Community Action 413-376-1181.,    If you cannot help with the harvest there because your own harvest is keeping you so busy, remember you can bring any extra produce to the Salvation Army or Center For Self-Reliance, or the Survival Center or any other food pantry near you.  Log on to www.parwmass.blogspot.com for more information about the Plant a Row program. ###

Between the Rows   July 24, 2010

Texans on Horseback

Anthony, Drew and Joe and Joan

We brought Anthony and Drew home with us from the Family Reunion. They’ve had a busy summer with a drive (geocaching!)  from Texas to New York for a Lawn Family Reunion, visits with other relatives, a quick trip back to Texas for another trip to North Carolina with their Boy Scout troop for camp, and back for the Larson Reunion. After all that, we couldn’t let them lie around enjoying Heath breezes.  We went around the corner to Birch Glen Stables for their first riding lessons. We learned there is more to horseback riding than getting on the horse.  They learned to groom the horse, and they learned that Joe and Joan pay a lot of attention to their horse’s health. Misty has asthma, but she is being treated and checked.

Drew on Misty

Since Drew turned 12 this month, he got the first lesson.  This sure looked like fun!

Anthony, Misty and a better view of Joan

Anthony had a pretty good time, too.  Will they get more riding lessons in Sienna Plantation?  Maybe!

Anthony at the Art Garden

The boys won’t be here for the Heath Fair, but they wanted to get entries ready.  We needed the resources of The Art Garden! Anthony will enter this in the String craft category. It looks more interesting than I thought it would when he began.

Drew at The Art Garden

Drew’s project took a lot of thought about design and engineering,  but Space in a Box is a 3-D experience.  We did all this at The Art Garden’s Open Studio  which is every afternoon from 2-4 pm. Jane Wegscheider has not only tons of art materials and Beautiful Junk, she knows how to tease out an idea and project from a child’s imagination. I kept biting my lip to keep from saying, “You could do this. . . . or this . . . . or this . . . .”  Jane is not directive, but she is encouraging and helpful with teaching techniques that will help a project take form.

Anthony with our Librarian, Don Purington

Needless to say, we do a lot of reading, and a visiting friend who could not entice the boys away from their books, commented on their devotion to the written word.  Anthony had to read a very fat book (Endymion Spring) in two days so he could return it to the library. I gave him Great Expectations ( abridged) for the ride home. Drew is reading his birthday book Science Fair by Dave Barry!

And so, Farewell. But maybe we’ll visit  -  and see what’s in bloom in Texas in October.

Daylily Tour

Hyperion

Now that I have begun a Daylily Bank I have been paying more and more attention to the daylily family.  Hyperion is a tall classic bright yellow daylily. Mine was given to me many years ago by my dear friend and mentor, Elsa Bakalar.

Ice Capades

Ice Capades, a pale icy yellow, joined Hyperion on my new Daylily Bank last summer.

Siloam Double Classic

The Daylily Bank was my excuse for buying several new daylilies like Siloam Double Classic. This grows to about 20 inches and is frillier than most of my daylilies.

I bought Crimson Pirate from Lorraine Brennan on Route 10 in Northfield last year. She sells beautiful clumps of beautiful daylilies two weekends a year. You can see the daylilies in bloom and know just what you are getting. This weekend, July 17-18 she will be open again, 10 to 1 pm. Needless to say I have lost the names of some of the daylilies I bought; I might just have to call them Brennan daylilies. Not all of them are in bloom yet.

Daylily from the Buffalo Botanical Garden

I have a red daylily that is very similar to this one that I admired at the Buffalo Botanical Garden, but I don’t know the names of either one.  Now I just want to show some of the beautiful daylilies I saw last week, a preview of the Buffalo Garden Walk. If you want to see photos of many of the gardens we visited on our preview weekend logon to Buffa10 for many links.

Daylily at the Buffalo Botanical Garden

I had to look twice at this. I’m wondering if it Siloam Double Classic that I have in my own garden.

Daylily at Buffalo Botanical Garden

I am mostly using red and pale colors on my Daylily Bank but this fiery gold is really tempting. If only I knew the name.

Daylily at Buffalo Botanic Garden

Lavender is not my favorite color, but in the garden it appeals.

Lemon Madeline

It’s sad that I took the train to Buffalo and couldn’t buy this beautiful Lemon Madeline daylily I saw at Lockwoods Greenhouses. The graceful form would be unusual on my Daylily Bank.

Stephanie Returns

I also saw Stephanie Returns at Lockwoods.  I just learned that Dr. Darrel Apps is the hybridizer who created several reblooming daylilies.  I already have Rosy Returns and yellow Happy Returns.  There is a Red Hot Returns and Big Time Happy. I’ll be keeping my eyes open for these.  These are not the only daylilies I have in my garden, or that I saw in the other gardens of Buffalo, but you can count on others showing up here now and then. Daylilies are about the most carefree flowers you can grow and hybridizers have made it possible to have daylilies in bloom from spring to fall.

Life Will Not Be Denied!

To see what other Wordless wonders abound click here.

Three Lilies

White Henryi lily

Last fall I planted six lilies in the herb bed right in front of the house. Three Henryi lilies which are gold, and three white Henryi lilies, all from Old House Gardens, one of my favorite bulb suppliers.  White Henryi was the first to blossom, dazzling white with its golden throat.

Mystery lily

Then this lily bloomed. I’ve got a bit of a prop to hold up the blossom so I could photograph it. It is neither the white or gold Henryi. A natural hybrid? Unlikely.  Probably just a mis-labelled bulb, so now I have three varieties of lily in this bed.

Henryi lily

Henry’s lily is beautiful with its recurved petals, but it has an extra layer of meaning for me because it is a Chinese wildflower. My husband Henry and I spent two separate years living and working in Beijing; we continue to learn about this important and complex culture.  Elizabeth Licata has Henry’s lily growing in her garden, and hers has reached the promised height of 6 feet.  I have hopes for next year.

Cultivating Family

Cousin Jennie's family

This past weekend I was in Gilford, New Hampshire at a reunion of my mother’s side of the family. Larsons everywhere. One of our projects for the past few years has been videotaping each family branch.  Getting all the members of each branch together is never easy – like herding cats. We barely get nearly everyone together and they begin to disappear again.  We are trying to get my  cousin Jennie’s family together here – and almost succeeding. Her grandchildren are mostly older, and young Serein is still a babe in arms.

My children and spouses

Before we started on our branch we got my five children, Philip (top left) and his lady Connie, Chris and Diane ( middle step), and Betsy and Kate with Kate’s newly fuzzy husband Greg together for this photo.

My whole family

It took more work to get the whole gang together, children, grandchildren, and my sister-in-law Joan on one end, and brother Tony on the the other. Unfortunately, my brother Dean and his wife Marcia were not able to attend this year.

Joan, Kate, Tony and Henry

While Greg and his sons, Anthony and Drew went off geo-caching, Kate joined my brother and his wife, Tony and Joan, and me on a Lake Winnipesaukee cruise aboard the Mt. Washington.  It gave us a chance to do some serious catching up, out of the chaos of 80 other talking, laughing, running, splashing, eating, drinking, cartwheeling, scootering Larsons.

Ethan and Erin

My cousin Erin came all the way from San Diego with her family including the youngest family member, Ethan, 8 months old. Its a cliche, I know, but this is the most important crop we raise, children rooted deep in family history, love and connection.

For Henry

White Henryi lily

Last year I bought 3 golden Henryi lilies and 3 white Henryi lilies from Old House Gardens. The reason is obvious. My husband’s name is Henry.  When I was in Buffalo I saw a golden Henryi in Elizabeth Licata’s garden – but I didn’t recognize it because it was at least 6 feet tall!  I guess I have a lot of work to do on my  soil.  My lilies are barely three feet tall and the stems are not very sturdy. So far only the white Henryi is blooming; I can’t wait to see the gold.

A Field for the Hungry

Ev Hatch's tomatoes for a Community Harvest

Ev Hatch will never forget the seed salesman who talked to him about his upcoming retirement.  Instead of selling seeds, he was  going to plant a lot of vegetable seeds, tend the plot and donate all the vegetables to food pantries.

Over his career Hatch has planted a lot of seeds, in the ground, and in the community as he worked for the Cooperative Extension Service and 4-H. After his  retirement in 1977 from these agricultural state enterprises  he began farming out on Plain Road in Greenfield.  At first he grew a little bit of everything including strawberries, but eventually he focused on strawberries. Hatch’s Patch supplied beautiful berries to the cooks and happy eaters of the area for many years.

Four years ago he gave up farming, but continues to grow his own garden. His land is rented to Kyle Bostrom who uses Hatch’s greenhouses to grow and sell vegetable starts and bedding plants. A new sign for The Patch still welcomes gardeners in the spring.

With his farming days finished the words of that seed salesman came back to Hatch.  He had land available, and he had labor available at his church, First Congregational Church in Greenfield, as they planned their Feet, Hands and Voices to Faith project.

He plowed up a quarter acre and he had a flashback.  When the tiller broke he remembered that what he hated most about farming was equipment that broke down just when you needed it. Everything had to stop while you figured out how to repair it. Nothing was broken in the hearts or hands of a crew from the church who helped with planting the field on May16th.

He speaks with such passion about the aggravation of farm equipment that I had to ask what he liked about farming. That was easy, he laughed. “I like the independence. You can do what you want.”

I allowed as how Mother Nature had something to say about what you needed to do at any given moment, and he agreed that was true. “But a farmer can figure out what the market wants, and how he can fit into the system. There is always a challenge, and you figure out how to meet the challenge yourself. No one is telling you what to do.”

If fixing equipment is his least favorite farm chore, he said his favorite is hoeing. “I love to hoe. I just stand there and zonk out.”

However, we have come to the season where there is no time for zonking out.  When I first  talked to Hatch about the field of tomatoes, summer squash, cucumbers, winter squash and broccoli I asked how could he ever manage the harvest and get the produce to the food pantries. He said he would need help.

Help is being organized now, as the harvest season officially begins on July 12.  Mark Maloni, Projects Coordinator at Community Action is scheduling volunteers on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings from 9 to 11.  You don’t have to be an experienced gardener who has been picking vegetables for years, but you do need to call Maloni and let him know when you can come, or when he needs volunteers. He hopes that most volunteers will be able to commit to two or three (or more) sessions,  but if you can only come once, any help is welcomed.

Packing crates will be located in the greenhouse. When filled they should be moved across the street to the Hatch home where they can rest in the shade.  The Franklin Area Survival Center will pick up the harvest one day a week, the Center for Self Reliance will pick it up another day, and the Orange Food Pantry will take the harvest on the third day. Volunteers should bring their own drinking water, hats, and sunscreen.

If you cannot help harvest Hatch’s field, but have a productive garden, you can donate any extra produce to any one of the area food pantries or meal sites. Open hours and coordinators’ names for at least 11 food sites are listed on the Plant a Row website: www.parwwmass.blogspot.com.

The number of families in our area who are enduring food insecurity continues to grow. An indication of the severity of this problem is the growth in the Eat 4 Free program. This federal program for communities with more than 50% of children eligible for free and reduced meals in the schools has been operating for 20 years. “The number of children being served has tripled in the last eight years,” said Bernie Novack, Director of Food and Nutrition Services for the Greenfield Schools.

Novack said that after the long Fourth of July weekend 750 breakfasts were served, and 1250 lunches. “Many of these children hadn’t had a good meal since Friday,”

I have seen Eat 4 Free signs posted at some of the meal sites as I’ve driven around town, at Federal Street School, Greenfield Gardens, Greenfield Swimming Pool and 10 other sites. Depending on the site, the program will run for between six to nine weeks. All a child has to do is walk in. No questions asked.

*********************

The only question asked at local daylily sales this weekend and next is “How many do you want?” Lorraine Brennan on Rt 10 in Northfield is selling daylilies July 10, 11, 17 and 18 from 9-1 pm.  Richard Willard at Silver Garden Daylilies on Glenbrook Road is digging daylilies on July 10 from 9 am – 4 pm, and on July 17 he is holding the Annual Daylily Festival with edible daylily treats. Logon to www.silvergardendaylilies.com for full information.

Between the Rows   July 10, 2010

Rain Garden at UMass

photo courtesy of UMass

I have to say how happy I am that my alma mater, the University of Massachusetts at Amherst has just installed its first Rain Garden. It is 150 feet long, 20 feet wide and 18 inches deep.  It is near the new (and very green) Studio Arts Building, below North Pleasant Street. The rain garden will collect run off from the street,  protecting the wetlands and Mill River on the west side of the campus from pollution and sediment.  Rain water is not clean after it has run off roads, lawns with animal feces and other trash. This dirty water can harm sensitive wetlands, and the sediment the run off carries will shorten the life of wetlands.

Students in Michael Davidsohn’s landscaping construction materials class, along with 2010 landscape architecture graduate Maxwell Cohen, worked on the project during the spring semester, using many recycled materials to keep the cost down.  Staff from Building and Grounds and the Physical Plant assisted with excavating, which shows the university’s support of this environmental endeavor. Davidsohn estimates that  the rain garden, planted with rushes, sedges and other water loving plants, can accept 3000 to 4000 gallons of water at a time.

Two other rain gardens are being planned for the Amherst campus.  Even when rain gardens are not protecting delicate wetlands, they do protect our storm sewer systems and the waterways that feed our rivers. They also keep the rainwater on site – recharging the local aquifer.

Hooray UMass!

New Friends and Their Blogs

Here is part of the crowd of 70 garden bloggers  at the Buffalo Botanical Garden. I was familiar with the blogs of some of these gardeners like Frances (lower left) of Fairegarden, and Susan (center in blue with hat) of Sustainable Gardening Blog, and Helen (in white under the camera) of Toronto Gardens.  Susan is one of the Garden Ranters; she and I worked briefly for an Australian organic gardening website Organic Gardener which made us virtual colleagues! Frances has beautifully photographed gardens in Tennesee, and Helen knows what it is like to garden in a harsh climate.

So I knew some of the garden blogs written by those who showed up for the third annual garden bloggers meet-up in Buffalo at the beginning of the month, but it is a whole other thing to actually meet and get to know those gardeners – and then read their blogs. I may not have been to their gardens (yet) but I do have a richer sense of their personalities and their tastes and passions.

I met lots of bloggers whose blogs I did not know – but I do know now. I have added several of these to my own blogroll, the list of inks to blogs in the right column.  There was a professional discussion at one point about the purpose or desirability of having a blogroll. Most of us thought they were helpful and necessary. I use my own blogroll as an easy way to visit my favorite blogs when I am putting up my post, and I use other people’s blogs as a recommendation. If I like a blog, I figure I will like their favorite blogs as well. I’ve added several new blogs to my blogroll.

I spent a day on the bus with Mary of My Northern Garden. She is the editor of Northern Garden Magazine, and freelance writer. I was interested in how Minnessota gardens differ in challenges from New England gardens. She was generous with information about gardening, and about blogging. She gave out copies of the magazine (beautiful!) which is a publication of the Minnesota State Horticultural Society.

Jean gardens in Louisiana, but her blog, Dig, Grow, Compost, Blog has useful information for all of us. Also it turns out her brother lives in the same area near Houston, Sienna Plantation, as my daughter!  Jean is also a garden coach and she gave me advice about that skill.

Cindy, one energetic lady, is   also from Texas. Her Corner of Katy is also near my daughter. When we visited we went to the immense Katy Mall and shopped. My husband got ‘cowboy shirts’ and a hat to wear in our field. I’m very interested in Texas gardens these days, but no matter where a person gardens, there is some advice that is good for all of us. Besides, our blogs are also about community and family – which are of interest to us all.

We have friends in Sacramento so I was happy to meet Leslie who is Growing a Garden in Davis.  Now I can keep an eye on what Leslie is doing –  and what my garden friends in Sacramento are likely to be doing.   I’ve added these and a few others to my blogroll, but if you’d like to check out blogs of others I met in Buffalo you can logon to the Buffa10 website which has links to them all, and links to recent posts – with great photos – about our garden tours in Buffalo. You will meet some great people.

Reluctantly leaving Mike Shadrack's hosta and daylily gardens