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Re: [SG] Parentage of plants

        Ah, but Gerry, I am a commercial type. I have a nursery. Just that the
nursery came from my garden originally and I try not to forget that. I also
remember that I am self - taught and have no extensive background at a
university. I am a gardener first and foremost. In any case, if I give
lectures and write about plants that will not succeed in your garden and
you keep trying and failing, pretty soon you get disgusted and give up.. or
quit listening to me. Gardening is supposed to be fun and satisfying for
the soul... not a hassle.
        Gene
----------
> Gene: Hear, hear!
>
> All of us non-commercial types have limited space in our gardens...I give
a
> plant 3-4 years to prove itself for me (may even move it if I think that
> will help) then if it doesn't perform, or at least give me a hint that it
> will in the near future, Off With Its Head (or at least Off to Somebody
> Else's Garden!!)
>
> Gerry
>
> At 03:42 PM 6/22/98 -0400, you wrote:
> >Hello Lesa,
> >        I would like to invite you to one of my slide presentations or
> editions of
> >my newsletters, or articles I have written. My whole aim is in finding
> >plants that will do well in my area. Plants that will thrive with
> >'ordinary" care and maintenance. I do stress understanding the needs of
a
> >plant.  Relationships with plants and ultimately the garden are similar
to
> >ones between people. One must try to understand and appreciate the needs
of
> >the other. You do your best to supply and nurture and then allow growth
to
> >happen in its own time and way.
> >        Relationships are not always complete successes with people or
> plants.
> >Sometimes it takes years to realize you  bedded a plant that will suck
all
> >the energy out of the garden, infect or poorly effect the rest of the
> >plants.
> >        I find no pleasure and do find some snobbery in the growing of a
> plant for
> >its difficulty. I do not gain anything from a relationship with a
difficult
> >person no matter how beautiful on the outside. If they are hard to get
> >along with...they are hard to get along with.... and I need to be
somewhere
> >else in life.
> >        It would seem not too many warnings get into print today about
> plants the
> >author considers inferior. Everyone is too busy censoring themselves
before
> >the article ever goes to the editor. The circle between magazine and
> >advertisor is a tight one. No one wants to offend with what is
ultimately
> >an opinion. Gardening articles are exactly that...including my own. Just
> >opinions. If you are lucky they are opinions based upon personal
> >experience. I try to stress this in my slide presentations. If you have
> >something that works for you, and I am saying the contrary,  then ignore
me
> >until I say something that does apply.
> >        I am not into the latest and greatest of anything. I do read and
I
> do on
> >occasion play with a new entry into the market. Since I am into the
native
> >aspect of gardening more than anything else, I do no face the pressure
you
> >are in the perennial market. Daylilies, Hosta, and to a lesser extent, a
> >few other plants are driven by money more than beauty or performance in
the
> >garden. I do not find much pleasure in paying $200 for a plant that my
> >neighbor does not have. You will find some lovely Hosta in my shade
garden,
> >but most have been around for over 60 years in the trade and they sure
are
> >great performers. Some of the news minis have trouble existing outside a
> >nursery pot.
> >        My advice is to trust yourself more. I have watched your
messages
> in the
> >past. you know.
> >        Gene Bush     Southern Indiana    Zone 6a     Munchkin Nursery
> >          around the woods - around the world
> >genebush@otherside.com     http://www.munchkinnursery.com
> >
> >----------
> >>
> >> Clyde brought up something that I find very frustrating: I attend
garden
> >> society meetings, and the speaker whips up a photo of a stunning
plant,
> >> then says something like, it's from such and such and therefore not
> >> vigorous...but if you're interested in growing something difficult...
> >>
> >> Sure, knowing the parentage will allow you to avoid paying a fortune
for
> >a
> >> genetically inferior plant, but where do you get information about
> >previous
> >> genetically inferior plants??  I really don't see gardening articles
that
> >> warn the unsuspecting gardener to avoid such and such because they
aren't
> >> vigorous after X years.
> >>
> >> How does one find out this information?  Are there records kept of
> >crosses
> >> somewhere?  How can the average person, without access to university
> >> research or large urban libraries find this information?  Keep in mind
> >> that this average gardener doesn't have thousands of dollars to invest
in
> >> reference materials...
> >>
> >> And, whenever I join a specialty society, be it Hosta, Rock Gardening,
or
> >> Daffodil, I find the long-time members are interested in the
high-priced
> >> introductions or in growing difficult plants!   .
> >>
> >> Oh, well, I don't know what I want in terms of a solution, but this
whole
> >> aspect of gardening frustrates me no end...
> >>
> >> Lesa in Coventry, Connecticut, zone 5
> >
> >
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