HIST: [Etc.] A Little Trip to the Lowes' Place

From: HIPSource@aol.com

Greetings,

Henry and I played hooky today and took a ride in the country. Drove down to 
Mike and Anne Lowe's place about an hour southwest of Richmond. I wanted to 
see some iris bloom since mine is not much so far this year, and I wanted to 
look at some different historics so as to educate myself. The day was 
downright hot and very windy, and we could sure use some rain here, but 
southside Virginia still has the lush, sappy look of spring. Last month was a 
very lavender month in the countryside with all the native wisteria and the 
lilacs and the first pallidas and my beloved bicolored birdfoot violets 
blooming on the red clay banks, but now we are moving into the season of blue 
cornflowers, white locust blooms, and clover. Later will come the orange 
season of trumpet vines, feral daylilies, and butterfly weed. 

Anyway, we drove down to the Lowe place in the country. They have a fine old 
raised farmhouse and enviable space to grow the irises and peonies and hostas 
that they enjoy. It is something to stand under the oaks and butternuts and 
contemplate Mike running his technology empire out of that farm. 

There was bloom on everything from IBs to some Siberians, with a good deal 
left to come. Among the historics I enjoyed seeing PERFECTION again after 
several years and decided to add it to my small collection. It has the nicest 
tidiest growth habit and very clear and attractive color. Beautiful little 
stalks with very refined buds, which I like. I can't stand an ugly bud on an 
iris. Also looking especially fine was VINGOLF, which has dark brownish plum 
falls, bordered yellow and clear yellow standards. Excellent carriage and 
form. I grow it and I think it is among the more attractive of the G. u. K  
variegatas. Among the moderns I was drawn to a handsome clump of AURORA'S 
BLUSH. This is a rather tailored iris in a medium pink strongly shaded blue 
lavender. I thought it carried well in the garden without being too insistent 
and it occurred to me that it might coexist nicely with a good form of I. 
pallida or something similar. BENGAL TIGER, on the other hand is a mighty 
insistent yellow, and I bet kids would love it. Stands to reason that Lowe 
would have that one since he has a herd of orange cats on the place, 
including one which accompanied us on the tour until its paws gave out and it 
flopped under a peony. YAQUINA BLUE was in bud today--amazing chubby round 
buds--and the plant looked healthy enough, although nothing to compare with 
INSTRUCTOR, a profoundly vigorous iris which I don't care for myself. Mike 
and I part company on some of the stranger plicatas, which is okay with both 
of us. Overall, things looked pretty good in the garden. A few abnormally 
short things, a few snaky stalks, although a smaller percentage than I am 
seeing at home, and several irises with extra or missing parts. I had one of 
those on GARDEN FLAME at my house last week.

Before heading home we poodled into the nearest 'burg for something cold to 
drink and a looksee at the local architecture, which, at its best, is rather 
good turn of the century Victorian or Beaux-Arts with ruffles and flourishes. 
Lots of irises hither and yon, including some relatively modern ones, and 
lots of snowball bushes and mockoranges in bloom. Not much in the way of 
roses yet. Turning home we followed our time-proven course of avoiding roads 
with more than two lanes and we sailed past LOVELY herds of cows, mostly 
Holsteins in this part of Virginia, some of them standing about in ponds 
ruminating. This is a scene which makes me feel right with the world. We rode 
past country graveyards without irises, and country mailboxes with them. All 
the usual friends one sees in rural Virginia, but in different combinations 
from those one sees in other areas. People swap rhizomes about and it might 
be interesting to map the occurrence of some cultivars to see if anything 
interesting emerged. Or one could just leave well enough alone and just enjoy 
the scenery, which is often the best course in life.

Tomorrow we are off to Charlottesville to hear a lecture on traditional 
African-American gardens. If we see anything special along the way, we'll let 
you know.

Anner Whitehead
HIPSource@aol.com  


------------------------------------------------------------------------
Did you know that
http://www.ONElist.com
More than 3.5 million people are using ONElist?
Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index