Spring fever

Why, oh why did I think last fall that it would be a good idea to have a 
spring horticulture show in the middle of April?  And why did the good members of 
my club agree to this folly?  Of course we didn't expect an extra cold long 
winter and late spring, but we're all experienced growers and showers and should 
have known better.  Oh well, at least there will be a small show tomorrow, 
even though spring has barely begun to show its face.  In fact, I think we are 
missing it altogether - going right straight into summer.  It was in the upper 
70s today after a cold, rain week in the 40s with threats of frost.

Anyway, I have spent the past two days trying to organize some horticulture 
to enter in this show.  I have lots of daffodils - they are fairly bursting 
today - but of course can't identify them.  I have spent hours with catalogs and 
past order lists trying to make sure they are correctly named.  I have one 
tulip - one of the Kaufmanias.  I know it was a named variety when I planted it, 
but it doesn't look like anything in the catalogs.  

Our club is only twelve members, with an average age of about 70.  One member 
broke a hip a couple of weeks ago.  Two others are not in good health, and 
one of the younger members has a speaking engagement.  However, I expect there 
will be some sort of show.  I will have the following entries:
Section I  - Bulbs, Corms, Tubers
Class 1 - Tulipa Kaufmania
Class 2 - Narcissus -
       a. Trumpet  -'Spellbinder'
       b. Trumpet - Miniature - 'Little Gem' ; 'Topolino'       
       c. Large Cup - 'Ice Follies'; 'Sweet Harmony'; 'Ipi Tombi'
       d. Multiple blooms - 'Tete-a-Tete'
       e. Double - Constitution Island heirloom
        f. Cyclamineus - 'Jenny' ;'Jack Snipe'; 'Peeping Tom' ; 'Itzim'' 'Jet 
Fire'
       g. Jonquilla - can't find the name but it's a beautiful bloom
       h. Split Corolla - 'Split'
Class 3 - Any other bulbous flower
       a. Scilla siberica 'Spring Beauty'
       b.Anemone blanda - 'Blue Star'; 'Pink Star'
       c. Iphieon uniflorum
Section II - Perennials
Class 4 - Flat, round or sculptural forms
       a. Viola cucculiata (Marsh blue violet), Viola tricolor (Johnny Jump 
Up)
                Viola papilionacea (Common blue violet)
       b. Helleborus abchasicus
Class 6 - Spray forms.
       a. Pulmonaria 'Mrs. Moon'; 'Coral Springs'
       b. Epimedium roseum; E. sulphureum
       c. Aquilegia canadensis
Class 7 - Grown for beauty of foliage
       a. Stachys lanata (lamb's ears)
       b. Alchemilla mollis (Lady's mantle)
Section III - Branches
Class 8 - Deciduous Shrub 
       Chaenomeles speciosa (flowering quince)
       I have a lovely branch of curly willow, but cannot find a botanical 
name for it.
Class 9 - Broadleaf evergreen
       Leucothoe Fontanesonia
       Pieris japonica.

I decided at this point not to enter any of the container-grown classes.  One 
member is an orchid specialist, so I know he will fill up that section.  We 
also have good growers of Saintpaulias and cacti, among other things.  I 
realize that I will be competing with myself in a number of classes, unless there 
are enough more entries to subdivide further - which could happen.  But at least 
there will be something to  look at.  But crazy - that's me.
Auralie

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