Re: Part II - Kathyguest's Excellent Adventure

From: "Mark, Maureen" <MARKM@tc.gc.ca>

And I bow to Kathy Guest who continues to fascinate us with her
adventures.  I shall certainly consider coming to the next regional
meeting -- particularly if it is a mini-convention.  And if you have any
influence, close to the border would make it a shorter drive.  

But I'm looking forward to Buffalo NY this weekend where I get to sample
three vices -- JIs, daylilies and hostas!  I shall try to take copious
legible notes as we visit the exhibits, Johnson's nursery and the Guest
mansion (yes Kathy we will stay for the picnic).

Maureen Mark
Ottawa, Canada (zone 4)
mmark@ottawa.com
> ----------
> From: 	Irisborer@aol.com[SMTP:Irisborer@aol.com]
> Reply To: 	iris-talk@onelist.com
> Sent: 	Friday, July 03, 1998 7:31 AM
> To: 	iris-talk@onelist.com
> Subject: 	[iris-talk] Part II - Kathyguest's Excellent Adventure
> 
> From: <Irisborer@aol.com>
> 
> PART II
> 
> From Anna Mae Miller's garden, we piled on the bus to Ensata Gardens -
> ground
> zero for Japanese Irises in the United States.  Ensata, for those who
> don't
> know, almost exclusively sells JI's and they have been instrumental
> (IMHO) in
> getting them more recognized as a garden plant.
> 
> Anyway - if you EVER have the chance to go to this garden, don't
> hesitate for
> a nano-second.  It's a serene and extraordinary place and you'll see
> all the
> Japanese Iris you've got a mind to.  
> 
> The setting is also extraordinary - they live in an 1800's farmhouse -
> brick -
> a full 3 stories.  The house itself is worth seeing - but more about
> that
> later.  Surrounding the house are many other gardens to wander in and
> get
> lost.  Behind the house are Japanese-style areas.... a raked Zen
> garden, a dry
> stream, walls of conifers and one of wood with a roof and funky face
> on one
> end.    I remember the areas from a convention a few years back - but
> the JI
> beds are gone (with the exception of a couple) and it's been left to a
> quiet,
> meditative area.
> 
> In front of the house are some other neat areas..... one lily pond
> surrounded
> by brick with a settee and Indian head sculpture.  There are at least
> two beds
> of mature hostas.... one in a garden setting and one lined out.
> Hostas are
> everywhere these days and it's easy to be called by THAT siren song.
> They
> tend to anchor the more outrageous plants and bring some peace to the
> garden.
> 
> ANYWAY... beyond the hostas are the growing fields.  Talk about
> Fantasyland.
> There are row upon row upon row of named varieties and seedlings.
> Bloom was
> still peaking and the weather had cooperated for a perfect day (you
> should
> understand that in my mind, 90 degrees and full sun is perfect.... not
> everyone agrees).
> 
> Because there are SO many irises and because JI's are my favorite, I
> took most
> of my notes here.  Some named varieties that impressed me were
> YAMETOMO, a
> 3-fall greyed purple with grape standards, RASPBERRY GEM, red/violet
> with a
> blue halo and prominent signal, and ALEX SUMMERS/SEISHONAGUN (which
> are very
> similar)... this was the heart-stopper for me.... a 3 fall pale powder
> blue
> with pink standards.  A TDF iris and one that went home with Kathguest
> by
> happy circumstance.  
> 
> I also liked IMPERIAL KIMONO, a blue with light white rays, SUITEN
> ISSHOKU, a
> very dark blue (Japanese Iris do GREAT things with blue), WOODLAND
> BROOK ...
> which I LOVED, a blue/violet 6-fall with dark style arms. and, of
> course,
> ROSEWATER (blooming as well in the Guest garden), a Bauer/Coble intro
> - 6-fall
> rosy violet with a blue halo and dark violet styles.  I got my copy at
> an
> auction the year of introduction and paid way too much - but I've
> never
> regretted a penny.  This iris brings tears to your eyes!
> 
> I personally love to look at seedlings because it's like looking in a
> crystal
> ball.  Some that I took notes on were one very dark purple... the buds
> were
> black as night and the flower was not much lighter.  A stunner.
> Another was a
> short pale blue 6-fall.... as blue as it gets.  I saw one white
> pinstriped
> number with very dark stylearms... and a very refined six-fall pale
> blue with
> wonderful darker blue standards.
> 
> But the absolute star of the seedling bed was a flower that didn't
> really even
> look like a JI.  I will try to describe it... and you need to clear
> any
> prejudices and consider the effect.  This is a multipetaled JI... the
> main
> color the color of a raspberry daiquiri (made with real
> raspberries)... each
> petal is edged with a very wide white band... maybe as much as 3/4
> inch.....
> and then the petals kind of stand up and are slightly ruffled.  The
> EFFECT is
> that of an English rose, almost....  unique and quite engaging.  I
> hope they
> keep it - and I hope they introduce it - and I hope you also find it
> as
> desirable as I do.  
> 
> There was judges training on JI's going on at Ensata from Jerry and
> Melody
> Wilhoit - but I hated to give up a second of garden time, so I passed
> it by.
> I do wonder what they said about that cool seedling.
> 
> After awhile, I wandered back toward the house for a cool drink and a
> chat
> with Bob Bauer.  Bob and John are both great guys and I'm delighted to
> have
> them as friends.  Dorothy Stahly had told me that they had some
> extraordinary
> iris doodads in the dining room so I asked Bob if we could look at
> them.  This
> is a wonderful house, boyz and girlz.  As I said earlier, it's an
> ancient
> farmhouse.... which has not been restored so much as PRESERVED (big
> difference
> here).  Bob tells me that it was occupied by a very elderly woman who
> was
> promised she could live there till she died.  When she became very
> ill, Bob
> and John had learned of it and asked to be notified if it came up for
> sale.
> It did... and they were notified and were given a price only equal to
> the
> value of the land because the sellers believed that the house (and
> another
> smaller house on the property) would be razed.  INCREDIBLE.... kismet.
> Anyway... the dining room where the artifacts were is curved - that
> is, there
> are no corners!  The ceilings are at least 12 feet up there and it's a
> fabulous room.  The wallpaper is a sepia color with an iris pattern in
> it -
> and original.  John and Bob have furnished the house with period
> antiques and
> the effect is like stepping through the looking glass into 1850 or so.
> Anyway, there were some vases and boxes and a silver cocktail
> shaker... all
> festooned with iris ensata.  Bob said that folks find these things for
> them
> and, of course, they are collectors.  I took a peek into the parlor
> and I
> could easily believe I was in a different era. 
> 
> At this point, Bob was saying how they had restored a bedroom and
> would I like
> to see it - so I got to go upstairs.  The restored room was totally
> wallpapered - including the ceiling (no thanks), in patterns fitting
> with the
> age.  The floors are plank which had also been refinished and they
> will be
> stenciled as well with an iris pattern that they designed (both Bob
> and John
> are also stained glass artists - there is examples of their work
> around the
> house and it is museum-quality).  They had found a great bed - but
> learned
> that mattress sizes are now different so they hadn't been able to
> furnish the
> room so that I can move in.
> 
> I also saw an UNfinished room which was delightful.  The furnishings
> were
> painted yellow pine.... all pieces - dresser, end tables, bed - had a
> similar
> scene painted on them.  Bob tells me that it was in the house when
> they bought
> it!  The wallpaper is faded, but lovely and they had gossamer curtains
> on the
> windows waving in the breeze.  I'll be very happy there.
> 
> The tour over, Bob and I wandered downstairs and out onto the porch
> chatting
> when I became aware that it was very quiet..... and I looked around
> where the
> 80 people had been and there was NO-ONE!  This is very bad form.
> There's
> always someone at a convention that dawdles and holds up the buses and
> everyone gets really ticked... and this time it was ME.  At first I
> thought I
> had been left behind (and couldn't believe my seatmate, Howard, would
> not
> realize I wasn't there....)  Then we saw that the buses were actually
> waiting
> at the road...... so I had to slink to them, double-time - whereupon
> Jill
> Copeland had everyone give me a big hand when I slithered on. .... 
> 
> Back to the hotel for a quick hose-off and then we were on our own to
> make it
> to Copelands.  Jim and Jill have also moved - but onto a huge piece of
> property with lots of interesting trees, a pristine and perfect
> nursery
> row/veggie garden and an enclosed cottage garden.  The setting is
> extraordinary and the gardens are well thought out.  Jill and Jim
> collect
> redbuds - I saw one with dark red leaves that I liked.  And I also saw
> a very
> cool maple tree with RED seeds on it!
> 
> We were at the Copelands for one of Jim's famous fishfrys......  he
> actually
> catches fish by the truckload - and then personally batters and fries
> them for
> everyone!  They managed to feed over 80 people with the fish (melt in
> your
> mouth), salmon chowder (ditto), salads and HOMEMADE PIES!  They have
> cherry
> trees and they made a kazillion pies!  A wonderful meal.
> 
> Following the meal, we had an auction.  It's always satisfying to be
> able to
> bring something home so an auction is a very good thing.  There were
> all kinds
> of items offered - canned salmon and jelly (very popular items,
> donated by
> Jill and Jim and all homemade), lots of hostas (donated by Hal Stahly)
> and
> irises.  Kathyguest was successful in bringing home a hosta, SPARKLING
> BURGUNDY - a green with red petioles, and two irises - LILAC GARDEN...
> and (to
> my unending delight....) SEI SHONAGON!!!!
> 
> By the end of the auction.... the sun had set - the fireflies were
> blinking...
> and everyone was tired.  A wonderful regional.... a perfect time was
> had by
> all!   I appreciate all the work that the Region 6 folks put into this
> - and I
> encourage everyone to not only attend their OWN region's meetngs...
> but look
> to other areas as well.
> 
> The next morning, we traveled home through the US since we had plants
> and
> didn't want to worry about the border crossing.... and since we were
> in the
> area, we stopped at a DAYLILY/HOSTA/CHICKEN hybridizer's place in
> Cleveland -
> Curt Hanson.  If anyone really hasn't had enough of my ravings and is
> interested - I can be persuaded to (privately) continue.
> 
> Thank you for listening.  Hope I brought you there....
> 
> Kathyguest - East Aurora, NY - where we are planning for a JI exhibit
> and
> picnic on Sunday, July 5th.
> 
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