A Late Bloomer

A little tidbit of flower history: On November 11, 1790, Chrysanthemums were introduced into England from China. Shortly after, this popular flower was introduced to the United States. Chrysanthemums are noted in Chinese writings as far back as the 15th Century B.C., which indicates a hardy plant in my book. According to the National Chrysanthemum Society, “In the United States, the chrysanthemum is the largest commercially produced flower due to its ease of cultivation, capability to bloom on schedule, diversity of bloom forms and colors, and holding quality of the blooms.”

If you are a follower of Annie’s Gardening Corner, you already know that the Chrysanthemum is the November Birth flower. This is one of the last flowering plants to see blooming in your garden. A favorite pick, Chrysanthemum ‘Sheffield Pink’ is a tough, drought-tolerant variety with soft peach to pink flowers late in the season. When planting ‘Sheffield Pink’, give it plenty of elbow room because it does spread.

On this 11th day of November 2009, the inspirational quote of the day is by G.B. Stern. “Silent gratitude isn’t much use to anyone.” Thank You – two words making all the difference in someone’s life. Remember to thank our Veterans.

P.S. THANK YOU!

Photo of Chrysanthemum ‘Sheffield Pink’ from the Burpee.com website.

Tuesdays with Annie – 11 10 09

A quick gardening tip as we head into another seasonable November day. Check your newly planted shrubs and perennials for soil moisture. As the temperatures fluctuate from mild to chilly, make sure your plants are not thirsty before the ground freezes. Now onto the answers from the Monday morning brain teasers.

The Arnold Arboretum is the oldest public arboretum in North America.
True. The Arnold Arboretum is a must for plant enthusiasts and a great way to spend an afternoon.

The Spirea (i.e., Bridal Wreath Spirea) is a member of the Periwinkle Family.
False. The Spirea is a member of the Rose (Rosaceae) family. This tough, durable woody shrub comes in old-fashion varieties like ‘Bridal Wreath’ and newly developed compact favorites.

Parsnips were used as a starch in diets prior to potatoes.
True. Back in those colonial days when potatoes were thought to be poisonous, parsnips provided starch in one’s diet. A tip about parsnips: to make them sweet, cool weather is required to convert the starch to sugar.

A rival football championship game kicked off the first Tournament of Roses, which took place in 1890.
False. It wasn’t until 1902 that football was introduced to the tournament. Those hardy souls from colder climates discovered the mild Pasadena weather and wanted to show off their blooming flowers. This kicked off the official start of the Tournament of Roses. If you love football and flowers, you are one lucky bug.

In Europe, Hens and Chickens (Sempervivium tectorum) were planted in thatched roofs to protect the house from a lightning fire.
True. This plant, indigenous to Europe was planted on thatched roofs for protection from lightning fires. This succulent doesn’t like its feet wet but the theory on fire protection may not meet today’s house insurance standards.

If anyone was paying attention yesterday, I inadvertently left out the ‘n’ in lightning. My editor was out sick. Oh, the editor is me, which brings us to the inspirational gardening thought of the day by Vita Sackville-West. "The most noteworthy thing about gardeners is that they are always optimistic, always enterprising, and never satisfied. They always look forward to doing something better than they have ever done before."

Enjoy the weather while it lasts. Annie

Monday Morning Brain Teasers – 11 09 09

Keeping in tune with the garden pop quiz, True or False format in Monday’s blog, here are five statements to ponder on this beautiful November morning. As always, the answers are in tomorrow’s ‘Tuesdays with Annie’ but why wait. Test and expand your knowledge.

To encourage you to think, let’s start with an inspirational quote by Pablo Picasso, “Computers are useless. They can only give you answers.” In other words, don’t look up the information the easy way. I do encourage sitting down with something ancient - a hard-covered book. If you wade through the text and images, you might be inspired or learn something else about gardening.

Winter project – build on your own garden book library. Check out used book stores and flea markets. You’re bound to find a few gems for very little coin.

* The Arnold Arboretum is the oldest public arboretum in North America.

* The Spirea (i.e., Bridal Wreath Spirea) is a member of the Periwinkle Family.

* Parsnips were used as a starch in diets prior to potatoes.

* A rival football championship game kicked off the first Tournament of Roses, which took place in 1890.

* In Europe, Hens and Chickens (Sempervivium tectorum) were planted in thatched roofs to protect the house from a lightning fire.

The inspirational gardening thought for the day is a Chinese Proverb. “One who asks a question is a fool for five minutes; one who does not ask a question remains a fool forever.”I like Chinese proverbs. It’s like opening up your fortune cookie without all the greasy food.
Hens and Chickens (Sempervivium tectorum) growing in our wall (10/29/09)
Photo taken by Greg Bilowz